All the Things You Are
by despommes
Summary: AU: There are angels everywhere. Sometimes life hands you more than you know what to do with, and that makes it hard to spot them. But sometimes one of them gets sick of waiting and finds you.
1. Make Someone Happy

The idea for this fic came to me in a dream. Um, kind of. I don't normally dream about animu, but I had a dream that Rolo was in some kind of hospital. That's about it. Just a little glimpse. The rest of the dream was about me owning and becoming best friends with a horse. Then I went to a movie theater where the employees were extremely rude. Lolwut?

Summary: AU: There are angels everywhere. Sometimes life hands you more than you know what to do with, and that makes it hard to spot them. But sometimes one of them finds you.

* * *

"_As the days slipped by, Harry started looking wherever he went for a sign of Ron or Hermione. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of the term so near. Harry met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, his fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt; he also ran into the real Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts…_"

Rolo's fingers toyed with the one of the pages, waiting until Lelouch's voice reached the bottom of the current one to turn it. He rubbed the paper between his fingertips. He read the words on the page as his brother read them aloud, eyes following along each letter.

A small chiming sound interrupted them, and Lelouch's voice stopped. Rolo made a small, disappointed noise as he laid the book in his lap to take his phone from his pocket. He nestled his face further into the shoulder of Lelouch's black jacket. His brother groaned.

"I have to leave," he said sadly, putting the cell phone back in his coat. "I'm late for work." Lelouch placed a bookmark between the pages they had stopped on, closing _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_. Rolo played with the tassel on the old velvet-covered piece of posterboard.

"Will you bring Nunnally with you the next time you come?" he said softly, so softly that Lelouch had to lean in closely to hear him.

"I don't know," he said. "She'll have school the next time I'm coming to see you."

"Oh." Rolo's voice was small. The fingers that were fidgeting with the bookmark accidentally pulled too hard and the blue strip of fabric slipped right out. His eyes widened and he dropped it. "I'm sorry," he said hurriedly, "I didn't mean to do that. It's—I just—"

Lelouch quietly shushed him, cupping his face in his hands. "Rolo, it's all right." He gave him a reassuring smile, but the frantic look in Rolo's eyes barely dimmed.

"But, now we have to—we don't know where we were. We won't know where to start next time."

He bent to pick up the bookmark, placing it in the front cover of the book. "Don't worry about it." He put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. When I get home tonight I'll just look through the pages until I find where we stopped, and I'll put it right back where it was. It's not a big deal."

Rolo seemed to relax after that, body becoming less tense under his brother's comforting gaze. Lelouch reached to the other side of the sofa for his scarf and wound it around his neck before pulling Rolo into a tight hug.

"I wish you could stay," he murmured into the grey fleece of his brother's scarf.

"I do too." Lelouch sighed. "I can't though. My boss will be irritated with me." Pulling away, he kissed Rolo's forehead and sifted his fingers through soft, tawny hair. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Lelouch picked up the book and stood. He tried to pretend not to notice the feeling of Rolo's sad eyes watching him as he walked to elevator. Once past the doors, he turned and gave his little brother one last gentle smile as he pressed for the ground floor, gaze not leaving him until the doors were completely shut.

In the lobby, he stopped by the front desk. A nurse looked up at him from her computer. "Need to sign out, Lelouch?" she asked. He nodded and she searched around her desk area before producing a clipboard for him. He used one of the pens chained to the desktop and signed his name and what time he was leaving.

"Um, I was wondering." He handed the clipboard back to her. "I was thinking about bringing my sister sometime this weekend to see our brother."

"The sweet little girl in the wheelchair?"

"Yes." He nodded. "Would it be alright if she went upstairs? I know the elevator is a little small."

"It would be perfectly fine, honey. Just bring her in and I'll help you with whatever you need."

He smiled appreciatively. "Thanks so much," he said to her, and he turned to leave. Once outside, a gust of cold wind tore through his hair and he was momentarily blinded. His phone began to ring again, and he answered, trying to hold his bangs from his eyes. "Hello?" he said, a little too loudly.

"Hey, Lelouch," his boss, Ougi greeted. "I got Gino to come in early so you could have another hour or two off. Let you spend some more time with you brother."

Lelouch grew flustered. "An hour or two?" he half-shouted. "But, I just—" He pinched the bridge of his nose. Ougi had just tried to do something nice for him. He shouldn't be angry with him. "Thanks Ougi. I appreciate it."

"See you at three." The other end disconnected.

Lelouch sighed. He viciously closed his phone and shoved it back in his pocket. First he gets a text from his boss saying that he needed him to come in early, they needed him badly, and now this. Ougi was a nice guy, he really was, but sometimes he just didn't have it all together. And on some occasions, like this one, it cost people he knew. He couldn't just go and sign back in because Rolo always saw his doctor after Lelouch's visits, and that could not be interrupted.

Tears stung against his cold eyes. He plopped down on a wooden bench outside the hospital and opened the book to look for the place he and his brother left off. His hands started to shake, but it wasn't with the cold. Lelouch eventually found the right paragraph and slipped the velvet bookmark in the crease. He clutched the book to his chest, bent over and buried his face in his own lap. Sobs shook his body before he could stop them. The time he spent with Rolo was worth more than gold to him. It was nothing like having him home every time he came back from work or from class, helping Nunnally with her homework or reading to her on the couch. They were all he had left, and now it felt like they had all been ripped apart.

At some point, during his mindless crying, he noticed a pair of shoes and a shadow on the ground between his knees. Distraught, he looked up to see a boy, near his own age, staring thoughtfully at him. Lelouch sniffed, averting his gaze from the stranger.

"Is something wrong?"

"If there wasn't, would I be crying in the middle of the sidewalk?"

He had hoped his snappish remark would discourage the guy from talking to him anymore. He was sorely disappointed, though, when a hand was outstretched to him. In it was a small package of tissues. Lelouch gingerly reached out and took them, plucking one from the cellophane wrapper.

"Thank you," he muttered, wiping his nose. To his horror, the boy took a seat next to him on the bench, hands buried in his coat pockets, crossing his feet at the ankles. Lelouch looked at him funnily. "What are you doing?" he asked nastily.

"Making sure you're okay." He stared ahead at the traffic in the street, watching cars pass by. Lelouch's nose crinkled. Why would he care if he was okay or not? His eyes swept the kid over. He had on a nice coat that probably cost a pretty bit of money. His skin was unusually tan for this time of year. A pair of white earmuffs was around his head, buried in shiny brown curls. "Is someone you know in there?"

Lelouch was snapped out of his thoughts of a nice expensive coat and soft brown hair. The stranger tilted his head toward the hospital. "Yes," he said, giving him another strange look. "I do. How did you know that?"

"I saw someone crying outside of a hospital for the mentally ill. It was the first thought that came to mind."

Lelouch huffed angrily and turned his head away. What did this guy know about him? Who was he to draw such conclusions about someone he didn't even know? It pissed him off.

"A family member?"

"Yeah," he muttered irritably. "My little brother. And if you'll excuse me, I have to leave." He stood up, tucking the book back under his arm, but the stranger quickly jumped to life and jumped from out of his seat.

"Let me buy you some coffee," he said hurriedly after Lelouch, who had already passed the bench and was eager to be on his way. He turned and furrowed his brows at the other. "I'm sorry," the boy said, catching up to him. "My name is Suzaku." He held out his hand. "I just thought you could use some company, and quite honestly, you look really cold."

Lelouch looked at his hand. He was indeed shivering, actually, quite violently underneath his jacket. Weighing his options, he realized he had absolutely nothing to do and nowhere to go until he had to be in for work. It would take too much time to get home and come back by three, and he really didn't have the money to buy his own coffee. This guy didn't exactly look like a creep. But he did look like the type to hang around until his request was granted. Silently, Lelouch took his hand and shook it hesitantly.

"Lelouch."

Suzaku smiled brilliantly, flashing perfectly straight, white teeth. Lelouch's breath wavered in his throat. He swallowed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lelouch."

* * *

Ten minutes later he found himself inside a local Starbucks not far from the hospital. It was relatively empty at this time of day; the only other customers there were a middle-aged man in the corner on a laptop and a teenage girl with an iced coffee in her hand, even though it was nearly as cold outside as the beverage itself. Lelouch was seated at a small booth near the window on the other side of the bar. He watched people pass by outside, his jacket folded in his lap and fingers fidgeting with the collar of his turtleneck sweater. Rolo's book lay on the table next to his elbow.

Suzaku returned the table with two cups of steaming liquid. "Chai tea, sweetened," he said, handing Lelouch his drink.

"Thank you."

The other sat on the opposite side of him, taking the lid off his drink and blowing the steam away. It smelled like cinnamon. "So, what do you do?"

"My work?" Suzaku nodded. "I work at a bookstore."

"You like to read?"

"Yes."

"That's cool." He took an experimental sip of his drink, and, deeming it cool enough, a longer draught.

"What about you?" Lelouch asked, curling his cold fingers around the sides of his cup.

"I go to school, mostly. Biology major." He smiled. "At night, though, I play alto sax in a jazz group. We play at small clubs and every once and a while we book events. It's a lot of fun."

"It sounds like you really love music."

"I've been playing piano since I was seven. I took up saxophone in school, and it just kinda grew from there."

Lelouch didn't say much from there. He listened to Suzaku talk about his jazz group, the songs he liked to play most, the classes he took. He was enthusiastic about jazz music. He asked Lelouch about his job. There wasn't much to say; it was a small bookstore with about six employees and a moderate amount of business.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Suzaku said, resting his chin in his hand.

"I…" Lelouch blushed, looking down at his tea. "I don't have much to say. I mean, I met you on the street."

Suzaku shrugged. "I guess you're right."

Lelouch's eyes found his watch, and he sighed. He had to be at work in fifteen minutes, and it would take him that long just to walk there. "I have to go."

"Oh." Suzaku looked disappointed. He leaned back in his seat. "Can I ask something of you?"

"What's that?" Lelouch stood to pull on his jacket and scarf.

"Can you meet me here again? Same time tomorrow?"

Lelouch bit his lip. He wasn't working tomorrow. Nor was he going to visit Rolo. He had to go shopping for groceries and pick up some of Nunnally's new medicine, though. But the pleading look in Suzaku's eyes made him think he'd look like a prick if he said no. "I… suppose."

"Great!" Suzaku grinned. When he smiled, his eyes shone in the most brilliant shade of jade green Lelouch had ever seen. He couldn't help but give in. "So I'll see you then."

"Yeah," he murmured. "See you then."

And he left. He walked outside into the cold and made for the bookstore, trying to hurry. Ougi would be a little miffed if he showed up late after he had been given two hours to be late. When he got there, Gino was standing behind the register, eyes looking to the ceiling, utterly bored. Seven or eight people were milling about the shelves.

"Lu!" Gino called to him, beckoning to come closer. "God, it's so dull in here today. Where you been?"

"Getting a cup of coffee," he said, hanging his jacket and scarf on the coat rack next to the counter. He took a deep breath. He loved this place. The entire store smelled of dust and old pages. The floorboards were ancient and creaked whenever you stepped on them, no matter where you were walking. There were books that had to be decades old on the shelves, as well as new releases that all the chain stores were sporting as well. It was more than just a bookstore; they sold a wide variety of fountain pens, notebooks, journals, datebooks, calendars, even printing paper. There was a big window on the other side of the register, brandishing in red letters trimmed with gold _Ye Olde Book Shoppe_. Lelouch had to digress. It was a stupid name. But, the business was good and his paycheck was decent.

Gino stepped out from behind the counter. "Take the register for a minute, I've had to race like a pisshorse for like the last half-hour." Without waiting for an answer, Gino hurriedly ran to the back. Lelouch lifted the little gate on the countertop and settled in an old office chair behind what was once considered an "office area" but had since been turned into a place to keep books he was considering to read. He picked one up and read the title, but forgot it in just seconds after putting on his reading glasses.

All he could think about were a musician's fingers wrapped around a paper cup filled with cinnamon coffee and a pair of ivy-colored eyes that smiled when they looked at him.

* * *

Oh god, you guys. This story is gonna be awesome. I can just _feel_ it.

Can't you?

.


	2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Well, it looks like you like this story. I suppose I do too. Here's another chapter.

Summary: AU: There are angels everywhere. Sometimes life hands you more than you know what to do with, and that makes it hard to spot them. But sometimes one of them finds you.

* * *

"I'm home!"

His house keys jangled in his hand when he pulled them from the lock. The kitchen was neat, just as it had been when he'd left for his night class. So CC must have ordered pizza. Lelouch grimaced. He really hated it when she let Nunnally eat that unhealthy crap.

"Lelouch, we're in the living room!"

He placed his books on the countertop, planning to come back and get them when he went to his room. His professor had decided to bombard them that night. Their final was in roughly one month and he had hardly given out any homework since Halloween. Lelouch had had an easy time of it for the past few weeks.

In the living room, CC sat on the couch beside his sister, who was already dressed in her nightgown. He hadn't expected her to be up this late, but he'd seen the lights on outside. CC barely regarded his presence. Just a glance and a half-hearted wave. There was a slice of some parmesan monstrosity in her hand and her eyes were glued to the television.

Nunnally's face lit up when he touched her hand. "How was your class, Lelouch?" she asked, unseeing violet-blue eyes smiling.

"I've got quite a bit of homework. But none of it's hard."

She grinned. "Good. CC ordered us pizza."

"I see." He looked at the coffee table and curled his lip at the three cardboard boxes full of nothing but carbohydrates and greasy bits of meat. Paper plates and empty glasses littered the glass coffee table. "So you're not hungry?"

"No, I'm fine." He sat next to her on the couch and turned the volume on the television down. CC groaned and gave him a nasty look. "How was Rolo? You hardly had any time to talk when you came home for your books."

"He's doing well. We read a lot today. He was really focused."

"He loves it when you read to him, Lelouch," she murmured to him. "Ever since we were little."

The room quietened on that melancholy note. Nunnally leaned her head on his shoulder and listened to the narrator on the television. Lelouch looked at CC strangely. "What are you watching?" he asked. On the screen, three large men were swimming in a muddy river, shirtless, diving underneath every once in a while. He let out a surprised noise when one of them resurfaced with a large catfish _latched around his wrist_.

"Discovery Channel," she answered, placing another grease-stained paper plate on the desecration that had been the living room coffee table.

"It's called noodling," Nunnally told him. "They catch fish with their bare hands. They have contests in some places."

"It looks stupid." He picked up the remote control and flipped around until he landed on one of his favorite cooking programs. CC leaned forward to stare at him, eyes narrowed hatefully and mouth set in a grim line.

"I was watching that," she said darkly.

"It's time for Nunnally to get to bed anyway," he retorted, as if that had anything to do with how he had upset CC. Standing up, he leaned forward and gathered Nunnally in his arms. Her arms went about his neck and she leaned her head against his collarbone. "It's almost eleven o' clock," he muttered, looking at CC pointedly. She just shrugged, lifting a glass of something orange to her lips.

"We waited up for you."

"Hmph." Nunnally giggled and he left the room with her. He carried her through the kitchen, down the hallway, and into the bathroom where he helped her brush her teeth and wash her face.

"Did Rolo's doctor say anything about letting him come home?" she asked, wiping her face with a damp washcloth.

"I'm afraid not. I didn't talk to her today." He tucked a few wet strands of hair behind her ear. "She must not have had anything important to tell me."

Nunnally's lips turned down in a frown. "Does he seem like he's getting better to you, Lelouch?"

He tried to smile. "_I_ think so. You'd be amazed, Nunnally. He can do all sorts of things by himself. Today he told me he got out of bed and dressed himself, without anyone helping him." Lelouch's smile faltered as he remembered a morning when he'd gotten up for work, gone downstairs, and found Rolo crying on his bed, too terrified to tie his own shoes. He'd helped him, no, tied his fifteen-year-old brother's shoes _for him_, and held him while he cried. Rolo didn't see, but Lelouch had been crying too.

Nunnally's frown disappeared momentarily. "So they are helping him."

"He asked about you today." Lelouch lifted the plug in the bathroom sink. "He wanted to know if you were going to visit him soon."

"I'd love to, Lelouch, but…" She wrung the washcloth out.

"I asked a nurse and she said she'd help us get you to his floor. We can go this weekend if you like."

"Let's do that then." Nunnally let her hair out of the loose ponytail she'd put it in to keep it out of her face. "I'll have to take him a present. One that the hospital would let him keep."

Lelouch grinned. "He'd love that, Nunnally. He misses you very much."

"I miss him too. So much." She reached out her hand and, finding his, gave it a little squeeze. "We both do."

He sighed miserably. After putting all the soaps and Nunnally's toothbrush away, he picked her up again and carried her out of the bathroom. Her room was the next one down the hall, and it smelled like lilacs and rosemary. Her wheelchair sat by her mirror, ready for the following morning when Nunnally got up for school. She went to a special school for the disabled, and their long-time neighbor, Sayoko, would come over early in the morning to lay out her clothes for her and brush her hair. She was a caring saint of a woman that was always there to play mother for Nunnally in places that Lelouch could not. She refused to accept any pay from him, saying that she just wanted to help them like a good neighbor should.

"CC helped me with my homework tonight, so I've got that out of the way. You don't need to check it for me."

"I'll be sure to thank her for that," he muttered, gently settling Nunnally into her bed. He tucked her legs underneath the lavender and white comforter, pulling it up to her neck. "Sweet dreams, Nunnally." He bent and kissed her forehead.

"Good night, Lelouch," she murmured. He turned out the light and left, walking to the living room to see CC surfing through channels.

"Thank you for helping Nunnally with her homework."

"Welcome." She had apparently filled herself of pizza and had closed all the boxes. He grabbed his books from the kitchen countertop and sat on the couch, pulling out his assignment. Golden eyes lazed over to his side of the sofa.

"You have a physically disabled sister and a mentally disabled brother, yet you insist on burdening yourself with school."

"Rolo is not disabled!" he snarled at her. He noticeably bristled, glaring viciously at CC. She stared coolly back at him, and his nerve began to falter. "He just…" The anger seeped from his words. "He just has trouble sometimes..."

"Trouble grasping and conceiving reality." He turned away from her and picked his laptop up from underneath an empty pizza box. CC fell silent after that. He didn't even know why she bothered stopping by. She had been a family friend for a long time, but they didn't owe anything to her and she didn't gain anything from helping them. She had a home of her own, a very nice home in fact, but that didn't stop her from bringing Nunnally back from school, ordering pizza, dirtying his living room, and occasionally sleeping on his couch. She confused him.

"I shouldn't have said that."

His head turned in her direction. She stared at him again, golden eyes full of apology.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

He turned his eyes back to his textbook, fingers back at the computer keyboard. "It's all right."

Some time passed, and he managed to get most of his homework done, with the exception of some vocabulary he would do the next day. He closed his laptop, snapped his books shut, and stood up to clear the night's dinner mess. He saw one of Rolo's _Harry Potter_ books, the second one in the series and the one they had finished before the book they were one now. His eyes widened and he hissed angrily, brain remembering.

"Goddammit!"

"What is it?"

"I left Rolo's book at the coffee shop," he groaned, hand coming up to his face. CC gazed at him interestedly.

"Coffee shop?"

"I went to get a cup of coffee after I visited him, and I must have left it on the table."

"Just buy a new copy before you the next time you go to see him."

"The bookmark in that one was special to him. It belonged to my mother."

"Oh." CC looked to the floor. "Just go back tomorrow. An employee might've found it and kept it for you."

"Maybe." Suzaku had still been there when he had left. Maybe he had taken it with him. And he had to go back and see him the next day, he'd forgotten all about that. Maybe he'd bring it with him. "I'll go tomorrow."

Sighing exasperatedly, he made to pick up the plates and glasses on the table. CC grabbed his wrists. "Go to bed," she said. "I'll clean up."

"Thanks," he muttered. Lelouch picked up his books and computer and walked to the staircase. "Are you staying the night?" he asked.

"Yeah." He could hear her stacking the boxes. "I'll be here on the couch."

"Good night then."

"Good night."

* * *

Lelouch cursed himself. He had misjudged the time it would take him to take his groceries and Nunnally's medicine home, and now he was ten minutes late to meet Suzaku. He ignored the bewildered look of other pedestrians as he raced through them, narrowly avoiding being hit by oncoming shoulders and arms. He could see the Starbucks sign and prayed that Suzaku would still be here, that he hadn't grown tired of waiting on him and left.

The door on the bell jingled as he burst into the store, sighing in relief when he saw someone at the same booth they had been sitting at the previous day, holding a cup of coffee with another cup on the opposite side of the table. Suzaku turned and smile at him, eyes sparkling.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he said hurriedly. "I was grocery shopping, and I lost track of the time." He hadn't realized it before, but he was severely out of breath. He collapsed into his seat, hand resting over his heart. It was beating wildly.

"It's no big deal," Suzaku told him. "I got you what you had yesterday. Is that okay?"

"Oh, yeah." Lelouch took off the lid of his drink, chest still heaving. Something was slid across the table to him, and a wide smile broke across his face. It was Rolo's book, perfectly safe with the bookmark still wedged exactly where it had been in the pages. "Thank you," he gushed, putting it in his lap.

"You left it here yesterday, and I couldn't just leave it." Suzaku smiled at him from his seat. "I didn't take you as the type to read _Harry Potter_."

Lelouch took a sip of his chai tea. Sweetened. "My brother likes me to read to him."

"The one in the hospital?" Suzaku asked, gingerly. Lelouch nodded.

"We've already read the first two. We started on this one about a month ago. He tells me he likes them. It's something for him to focus on when it's too cold for him to go outside and we have to stay in."

"Sounds like he's lucky to have a brother like you." Suzaku lifted his cup to his mouth, and from the scent floating to Lelouch's side of the booth, it was the same cinnamon drink from the day before.

Lelouch thumbed through the pages of the book, not really knowing what to say to that. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" he asked.

Suzaku shook his head. "Not really. I was adopted. My parents couldn't have children."

"Oh." Now he was sorry he asked. "What do they do?"

"Well, my dad is a mechanical engineer. He used to build machinery for the military, but he retired when I graduated high school. My mom used to work with him. Now she works as a bookkeeper for a law firm." He tilted his head. "What about your parents?"

Lelouch tensed up a little bit. He didn't know how to answer the question. "My mother was a dancer. She used to own a small dance studio and taught ballet and gymnastics. She taught my sister to dance." His fingers tightened around the cup. "My father was a journalist. His editorials and biographies were really popular. He used to make a lot of money."

Suzaku's brows furrowed. He looked at Lelouch analytically. "You keep using the past tense."

Lelouch nodded. "They died about three years ago, when I was seventeen. They were on their way to the airport, to catch a flight to Paris for their anniversary, and a semi slammed into them."

Suzaku's eyes widened, face reddening in embarrassment. "I'm… I'm really sorry. I didn't know."

"It's fine." Lelouch looked out the window at the passers by, trying to come up with some excuse to leave. He just couldn't seem to find one.

"You said you had a sister?"

"Nunnally. My brother's name is Rolo." He blew into his cup again, for no reason really. It was sufficiently cool now. "They're a year apart. When I was four years old, my parents separated for about a year. In that year, my father had married a woman for about eight months and they had a son. When they split up, his mother wanted nothing to do with him. My parents got back together a few months later, Rolo came to live with us, and my mother took care of him like he was her son. He called her mom and everything. A year later, Nunnally was born on Rolo's first birthday."

"They have the same birthday?" Suzaku smiled, genuinely interested. "That's kind of cool." Lelouch nodded. "You told me your sister used to dance?"

"Used to. She got very sick when she was seven, and now she's blind and can't walk." He grimaced. His life sounded like some kind of sad Lifetime movie. It was depressing.

"Oh." Suzaku frowned nervously. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"She's having physical therapy. The doctor told me it was very likely she'd be able to walk again by the time she graduates high school."

Suzaku's smile returned. "So she'll get to walk at her graduation and get her diploma?"

"That's what I'm hoping for."

His eyes shone. "That's awesome."

Lelouch just smiled shyly and took another drink of his tea. He really hoped he hadn't freaked Suzaku out.

They spent the next hour drinking their cold beverages and exchanging details of their lives. Lelouch told Suzaku he was taking night classes for an English major. "I'd really like to be a writer," he had said, to which Suzaku smiled and admired him for. Suzaku told him about his biology major and how he wanted to be an environmental scientist when he got out of college. When the minute hand had made an entire rotation around the store clock, Suzaku looked at his phone and made a distressed face.

"Rivalz has texted me twice," he muttered. "I should probably leave now, or I'll be late for rehearsal." Lelouch nodded in understanding and rose to leave, making sure that Rolo's book was safely under his arm before getting out of his seat. "Say." Suzaku grinned at him. "We have a gig at a small jazz club across town tomorrow night. The one we're rehearsing for." He threw his cup in a nearby bin. "What are you doing around eight?"

Lelouch put on his red gloves. "I'll be closing for work at seven. Probably nothing after that."

"Would you like to come see us play? I can stop by your work and walk you there if you'd like. I'll pay for you."

He considered the idea. From what Suzaku had told him, this jazz group was a big part of his life. And he looked like he'd be very disappointed if Lelouch told him knew. And he didn't exactly hate jazz music. He didn't have class on Wednesdays and CC would probably be home with Nunnally, as she usually was, but he could get Sayoko to bring over some pasta or a meatloaf for dinner. She'd be happy to do it.

"Sure," he said. Suzaku's face lit up, green eyes alive in happiness.

"Great! I'll come get you around seven-thirty then?"

"That's fine."

"Awesome." They reached the door at the same time, Suzaku walking backwards in one direction and Lelouch headed in the other. "I'll see you then!"

With that he turned around and was on his way. Lelouch sighed. What was he getting himself into?

* * *

I was playing The Nightmare Before Christmas video game _all day_ yesterday, and I'm almost done with it. I'm immensely proud of myself, and I don't know how to feel about that.

OH GOD YOU GUYS HAVE TO REVIEW


	3. It's Only a Paper Moon

Oh goodness, this story just pulls in the reviews.

I love it.

Summary: AU: There are angels everywhere. Sometimes life hands you more than you know what to do with, and that makes it hard to spot them. But sometimes one of them finds you.

* * *

That morning, Lelouch had the rare privilege of having breakfast with Nunnally. He'd gotten up early that morning to finish the vocabulary he'd neglected to do before. He went downstairs, still in his pajamas, kissed the top of her head, and poured a glass of juice.

"You're up early," she said, buttering her toast with her knife.

"I didn't do some of my homework. I want to get that out of the way before I leave today."

"Hmm, blowing off your homework," she chided playfully. Lelouch huffed and gently flicked her nose. She giggled and slapped his hand away. Her hair was in a braid this morning, undoubtedly the marvelous work of Sayoko. Nunnally's hair always looked amazing; Sayoko had raised two daughters of her own.

"Where is Sayoko?" he asked his sister, looking around the kitchen.

"She's getting my backpack for me. I forgot to put all my things in it last night."

"Oh." He opened the refrigerator. A ripe peach was sitting in bow full of fruit, and he decided that would be his breakfast. Lelouch didn't usually eat in the mornings, but those peaches looked delicious and he had the time.

"I'll probably be home a little late tonight," he said, peeling the sticker off of his breakfast.

"Why's that?"

"I made a friend a few days ago. He plays saxophone in a jazz band, and last night he asked me to go see them perform."

Nunnally smiled. "I'm glad to hear you made a friend. Sometimes I think that Gino boy and Ougi are the only ones you've got." She grinned at the flustered noise from across the table. "What's your new friend like?"

"His name is Suzaku," he told her. "He's nice. You'd like him."

"Good morning, Lelouch."

He turned to see Sayoko coming from the hallway with Nunnally's backpack over her shoulder. He smiled to her. "Good morning, Miss Sayoko."

"I'll take Nunnally to school in just a moment. I have her shoes here." In her hand was Nunnally's favorite pair of bubblegum pink ballet flats. Lelouch had bought them for her on her birthday the month before. Pink had always been her favorite color, and she'd always wanted to be a ballerina. Like their mother had been.

"Have a good day, Nunnally," he said as they went through the door. He heard her reply cheerily and put his empty glass in the sink. His laptop was still in the living room, as were his textbooks and notes. On his sofa, CC was curled up around a cushion, head buried in her arm and still in the clothes she'd worn the day before. He on the other end of the couch, and the movement must have stirred her awake. She sat up and looked at him blearily with her scraggly hair in her eyes.

"What time is it?" she asked groggily.

"Almost eight," Lelouch answered, glancing at his computer screen.

"I thought you didn't have to work until later tonight."

"I don't." She yawned, but didn't say anything else, instead choosing to stand up and see what was in his fridge. "I'm not going to be home tonight until after Nunnally goes to bed," he called after her.

"Okay."

"Sayoko's bringing something for dinner. So you won't have to order out."

"… Okay."

He smirked to himself. Now Nunnally would get the nutritious meal he wanted her to _and_ he wouldn't have to clean up his poor living room. This day was beginning rather well.

* * *

With Rolo's book under his arm, Lelouch walked through the doors of the hospital and signed in at the desk. The nurse, he'd really have to get her name, told him that Rolo was still in his room, and that his doctor wanted a word with him.

"She does?" he asked. His heart started to beat faster. Why did she need to talk to him? Was he well enough to go home? Was he getting worse? He desperately hoped it was the first option.

"Yes. Her office is on the third floor; I told her you'd be here around this time of day. She should be expecting you."

He nodded and thanked her before turning in the direction of the elevator. Now he was scared. He didn't know what she would tell him. He usually met with Rolo's doctor once a month, and he'd seen her about two weeks ago already. She didn't have much to say. Just that Rolo's progress had been going in a straight line for a while, and she wanted to try some new medication. She had needed his permission as Rolo's legal guardian. Lelouch had given it to her, in hopes this new medicine would be the one to help his brother for good.

Dr. Viletta Nu's office was the third door on the right in the second hallway. He knocked twice and waited until he heard her voice to open the door. "Ah, Mr. Lamperouge, good morning," she said, shuffling some papers on her desk. "Please, come in and have a seat."

"Good morning, doctor." He entered and sat on the couch near the window, looking to the floor. This office always made him nervous. Rolo came here everyday for a therapy session, and he could just imagine his brother sitting on the same couch, struggling to explain what he was feeling or thinking.

Dr. Nu sat herself in the swivel chair before the couch, smoothing out the creases in her expensive dress pants. "How have you been?" she asked, conjuring a clipboard from the table next to her chair.

"I'm well," he told her calmly. She smiled at him.

"I'm glad to hear it." She put on her glasses. "You remember we switched Rolo's medication?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"Have you noticed any changes in him since then?"

He thought to himself. "I have," he answered. "I read to him when I see him. He remembers everything we read the next time I visit and he seems more focused on the story _when_ I read to him. He follows along on the page."

"Excellent." She made a note on her clipboard. "He tells me you're reading the Harry Potter series." Lelouch nodded. "Have you noticed any decline in his paranoia?"

"He's not as wary as he used to be. He… He slips up sometimes, though. The bookmark in fell out of our book, and he was very worried about it."

"But nothing else severe?"

"No. Nothing really bad."

"I see." Her eyes rose to meet him. "He's been getting himself out of bed and showering, dressing, and feeding himself without assistance."

"Yes." Lelouch grinned. "He told me."

"That's a definite improvement. I think this new medicine has done nothing but good."

"Great." Maybe it had helped enough to allow him to come home.

"I have something to ask you, Mr. Lamperouge."

"Yes?" He swallowed.

"How would you feel if I asked you to take Rolo home for a night every once in a while?"

His eyes widened. Let Rolo spend the night at home? That wasn't exactly what he had hoped for, but it was better than just keeping him here. "When?" he asked hurriedly. He'd cancel his plans with Suzaku in a heartbeat if Rolo was coming home for the night.

"Not tonight," she said, and his heart sank. "I want to watch him for a little longer and make sure everything is still improving. Maybe next week or sometime near then. I'm hoping that going home for a little while, seeing the people and things he loves might open his eyes and pave the way for further improvement."

"Oh. Okay." He nodded. Next week would be fine. He could wait until then, but he didn't know how he would do it.

"Excellent." She smiled at him. "That's all I have to ask you."

"Thank you," he said, grinning. Lelouch got up and left her office, intent on finding Rolo and telling him the good news. He was so excited; his grin was plastered to his face and there was a definite quickness in his step. When he entered the elevator and pressed for Rolo's floor, he was bouncing on his heels in anticipation. Rolo was, as usual, sitting on their favorite couch, knees tucked into his chin and fingers playing with the sleeve of his white shirt. His eyes lit up when he saw Lelouch, but he was enveloped in a tight hug before he could utter a greeting.

"I spoke with Dr. Nu this morning!" he said cheerfully. Rolo stared up at him interestedly.

"Did she tell you?" he asked. Lelouch nodded, hands on Rolo's shoulders.

"Next week, you're coming home with me to spend the night." He couldn't help himself; he pulled Rolo into another hug, laughing slightly to himself. "I'm so happy."

"Me too." For the first time in a long time, Lelouch saw a small but very real smile on Rolo's face.

* * *

"You gonna be okay closing by yourself?"

"Yeah." Lelouch turned a page of his book. "I'll be fine."

"All right then." Ougi tossed him the keys. "These are my spares. Just bring them with you tomorrow." With that, he took his coat and hat from the coat-rack and walked outside into the chilly November night. Lelouch looked at the clock. It was a little after 6:30. Suzaku was supposed to be there around seven.

He inspected the shelves to make sure that no books were out of place or any trash hidden in the corners. Then he went to the back and put the day's receipts into Ougi's filing cabinet. The thermostat had to be turned on low at night; low enough not to raise the electric bill but still on so the pipes wouldn't freeze. He swept the floors and cleaned up behind the register, emptying trash cans and organizing his neat little stack of books. Once everything had been tidied and straightened up, he used his keys and locked the register, the door to the back office, and the entrance into the alley behind them.

When he finished, Lelouch went into the bathroom and washed his face. He had brought a shirt to wear to jazz club—a simple black button down shirt with thin grey pinstripes. He put his old shirt in his locker. Even though there were little more than six people working in the small bookstore, Ougi had bought a set of eight lockers. There was no reason, but it was nice to have a place to keep his things. The seventh locker was completely empty, but the lock on the eighth was broken, and until they actually needed it enough to get it fixed, it was used as a trashcan. Lelouch didn't really approve, but nevertheless he visited it occasionally to either dispose of a few gum wrappers or empty it out.

He moved to the front of the store to wait for Suzaku. It was 7:08. Sure enough, there was a knock on the door and there he stood, outside in the cold. He waved to Lelouch, who grabbed his coat and gloves and opened the door.

"Hey!" Green eyes shone in the light from the streetlamp.

"Hello." Lelouch turned to lock the store and put they keys in his pocket. "Where to?" he asked, eying the black case that was strapped to Suzaku's back, much like a backpack.

"It's a bit of a walk," he said, grimacing. "Not that hard to get to, though. Just follow me there."

Lelouch slipped his hands in his gloves, lungs shuddering in the cold air. The wind was awful that night. He zipped his jacket up to his chin and walked beside Suzaku on the sidewalk.

"How's your brother?" he asked, tucking his hands into his pockets. Lelouch did the same.

"Good. His doctor said he was doing well." His shoulders started to shiver with the cold. The rest of the walk was remotely silent. It was just too cold to make decent conversation. He just followed Suzaku along the sidewalk, through crosswalks, and past shops. Eventually, when the finally arrived, Lelouch's lips were thoroughly chapped and he thought his ears were frozen solid. It made him miss his scarf. Suzaku talked to the doorman and handed him a few bills. Lelouch suddenly felt guilty. Suzaku had insisted on paying for him, but he still felt bad.

Inside, the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The tables were covered with deep red tablecloths, and on each of them sat a candle in a glass bowl. There was a bar in one corner and a stage at the front of the room. Suzaku's jazz group was setting up chairs and stands, tuning their instruments and shuffling through music. To Lelouch's surprise, he saw Gino on the stage as well, adjusting the slide on a rather polished trombone. He was talking to a young woman with short, fiery red hair holding a bass guitar.

Suzaku turned to him, grinning. "I have to go set up and tune. You can just sit down somewhere. I'll come get you after we play and introduce you to everyone."

Lelouch flushed. He hadn't been expecting that. "That's all right, really—"

"Don't worry." Suzaku winked at him. "You'll like them."

That did nothing to help his flustered mood.

Suzaku hurried up to the stage and Lelouch found a small, empty table somewhere in the corner. A server stopped by his table and he ordered sparkling water. Soft chatter filled the small club as people sat down at all the other tables. He sipped his carbonated water, watching as the band on stage got situated.

After a few minutes, a tall, pretty blonde woman stepped up to the microphone and cleared her throat. The chatter stopped, and a few people whistled to her. She smiled and took the microphone from its stand.

"I see some of you remember us," she said. "We're starting a bit off schedule. Some of our musicians were _late_. But, everyone's here now, so no more waiting. We'll be starting with a little tune called _April in Paris_." She took the mic with her and sat at a baby grand piano on the left side of the stage, placing the microphone on a bent stand that held it at her mouth.

Someone in the front row, near Suzaku, started to count off and they began playing. It was a slow, melodious tune. He could hear a saxophone melody, as well as trombone bass notes. They played right into the next song, which featured a trumpet and alto saxophone solo. A smaller man with dark hair and shining brown eyes, played a short trumpet solo that was lively and fun, and Suzaku followed with an improved solo that was just as energetic. He applauded politely with the rest of the crowd, a small smile on his face. The blonde woman pulled the microphone to her face again.

"Thank you," she said charmingly. "The last song featured our soloists Rivalz Cardemonde on trumpet and Suzaku Kururugi on alto sax." Another round of applause. "Now, please welcome our vocalist, Miss Shirley Fennette as she sings an Ella Fitzgerald favorite, _Sing my Heart_."

Lelouch clapped and a woman stood up from her chair. She had been playing tenor saxophone and he hadn't paid her much attention until then. She had long auburn hair and cheerful olive eyes, and she was very tall. She stepped up to the mic stand and smiled to the crowd. Another count off, and the music started. Shirley's voice was not very similar to Ella Fitzgerald's, but it was strong and sweet and carried the song well. Lelouch rather liked the song.

She sang the next three songs, and after the last one took a small bow and sat down again as the crowd cheered her off. The pianist thanked them. "This is our last song, I'm afraid," she said sadly. "This next one features our first trombonist, Gino Wienberg. It's an old Nat King Cole tune, and it's for all the couples here. This is _When I Fall in Love_."

The song started with a small cymbal roll. It was slow and sweet. In the middle, Gino stood with his shiny brass trombone and played a long solo that played on the original melody. His eyes were closed as his arm threw the slide up and down and built the ending of his solo. He was applauded generously, a couple whistles floating through the club. Lelouch was a bit surprised. He had no idea that Gino, who he knew to be a carefree and sunny person, was so talented. The look on his face when he played was one of pure passion and skill.

After the last song, they all stood as the audience clapped and cheered. Lelouch smiled as Suzaku's eyes found him at his table. After the crowd had settled down, they packed up, putting instruments back in cases, filing away music, and stacking stands into the corner. It was nearly ten when Suzaku came back to him.

"Well," he said, beaming. "What did you think?"

"I loved it," Lelouch told him. "It was all lovely. Your solo was wonderful."

"Thank you very much." Suzaku looked over his shoulder. A few people from the band were all sitting at a table, ordering drinks. "I told you I'd introduce you," he said, turning back to Lelouch. "Come on. They're nice people."

Lelouch swallowed thickly and stood up to follow Suzaku over to the other side of the room and the table full of musicians. Suzaku was grinning the whole time, hand latched around his wrist. He stopped in front of them, and they erupted in greeting, slapping him on the shoulder and complimenting his solo.

"I have someone I want you guys to meet." He pulled Lelouch into sight. "This is my friend, Lelouch. I invited him to come."

"Lu!" Gino stood from his seat beside the red-haired bassist, slinging an arm around his shoulder.

"H-hi, Gino," her muttered, slumping under his weight.

"Lelouch." The blonde pianist smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Millay Ashford. It's a pleasure to meet you." He shook her hand and she gave him a little wink. It unnerved him a bit.

"This is Rivalz," Suzaku motioned to the trumpet soloist with the dark hair, "Asahina," a man with glasses he had seen playing bari sax, "Nina," a mousey girl who had played alto sax beside Suzaku, "Kallen," the bassist, "Shirley," the pretty tenor sax player and signer, "And Anya," a rather young girl who had also played trumpet. Asahina and Kallen nodded to him, Nina averted her eyes shyly, Shirley smiled and blushed, and Anya simply regarded him with a bored glance of her eyes. Rivalz reached over the table and shook his hand, greeting him eagerly. "Did everyone else go home?" Suzaku asked, pulling up two more chairs, one for himself and one for Lelouch.

"Monica said she had to be up early tomorrow, Nonnette had to give her babysitter a ride home, I didn't talk to Chiba or Darlton, and Guilford was just tired." Millay took a sip of her cocktail, shrugging.

"So, how do you know Gino?" Rivalz asked.

"Lu and I work at the bookshop together," the other answered, slapping Lelouch on the back. "Helped me out when I first got there."

"Oh." Suzaku stole a sip of Kallen's cosmo, earning him a sharp pinch on the ear. He pulled back, grimacing playfully. "Lelouch is a writer," he said. He received many impressed comments from the table.

"That's really cool!" Shirley gushed to him. He smiled and thanked her politely.

He learned that Rivalz was Suzaku's roommate and they shared an apartment on the university campus. Anya was still in high school, but they had picked her up after they heard her school group play in a contest. Millay was the headmistress of an academy in the city, which surprised Lelouch. She was unusually young for the position. Nina was head of the genetics department in an educational hospital. Shirley was in school and working on a degree in linguistics, and she was captain of the university swim team. Kallen didn't say much, but he found out that she worked in law enforcement.

One by one, they each bid them farewell, leaving for home. They'd had a few drinks, but they were walking home. Lelouch wasn't of drinking age, and neither were Suzaku or Rivalz, but Kallen had gone home and early and the other two had fake ID's. Rivalz told Suzaku he'd wait up for him and told Lelouch that the three of them should hang out sometime. Maybe at their apartment, they could do homework or something. He left them alone.

Lelouch was only at the bottom of his first Long Island iced tea, but he was already feeling a little bit tipsy. "I think I should stop," he said, pushing his drink away. Suzaku didn't even seem fazed by the single white Russian he ordered. Lelouch hiccupped and threw his hand up to cover his mouth, flushing.

"I think so too," Suzaku said, laughing. "Come on. I'll walk you home."

"That's all right, I'll be fine." Lelouch stood from his chair and immediately clutched at the edge of the table. He was about to fall over.

"I don't think so." Suzaku took his arm and left some money on the bar tab. Lelouch put on his coat and gloves, putting the wrong fingers in the wrong places a few times. They walked outside into the chilly night air, which sobered up Lelouch a little. The wind was absolutely brutal. Suzaku's arm, which was already helping him stay steady enough to walk, pulled him a little closer.

"If you take me back to the bookstore, I can navigate home from there," he said, teeth chattering.

"Okay." Suzaku pulled him over to a crosswalk and they crossed the empty street together.

They returned to the bookstore and Lelouch led him down the sidewalk and turned at several corners. "Shirley really seems to like you," Suzaku teased, eyebrows rising.

"She's very nice," was all Lelouch said.

"You don't like her?"

"She seems like a really sweet girl, but I can't say I'm interested."

"Really?" Suzaku seemed bewildered. "Not even a little bit? She's very pretty, and she's one of the nicest people I know—"

"Let me rephrase that," Lelouch said. "I'm not interested in women."

Suzaku had opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out after Lelouch spoke. He seemed to think for a little bit. "Really?"

"Really."

Lelouch had expected him to retract his arm and keep some distance between them for the rest of the walk, but Suzaku did neither of those. He just tilted his head, opened his mouth, and let out a realizing "Oooooohhhhh." He nodded. "Well, if there was ever a girl to change your mind, I had thought it would have been Shirley."

"She _is_ pretty and she _is _a very nice girl," Lelouch agreed. "But I'm convinced of what I like. And I'm afraid it's not women."

"Ah." Suzaku smirked, one eyebrow lifted and eyes snaking smarmily to Lelouch. "Do you find _me_ attractive?" he asked haughtily.

Lelouch laughed. Suzaku joined him, and the street filled with the sound of it. When Lelouch regained his breath, he turned to him. "I'm afraid not," he said, giggling at Suzaku's confused expression. "You're just not my type."

"I'm not your type?" He huffed. "Well, Mr. Choosy, what _is_ your type?"

He bit his lip in thought. "Tall, a little bit built. Kind of a pushover. Someone who likes reading, who I can talk to about favorite books and authors. With hair that's kind of long."

Suzaku nodded, drinking every word in. He turned his head to Lelouch. "I like reading," he said, "And I work out."

Lelouch gave him a playful shove, and Suzaku laughed.

He hadn't realized how quickly time had passed. They were soon standing in front of his house and he had his keys in his hand. Suzaku looked around at the carefully tended rose bushes and old Victorian style building.

"Your house is beautiful," he said.

"Thank you." Lelouch put his key back in his pocket. "It's all I can do to keep up with the house payment." His nervous little laugh did nothing to lighten up the small comment. He turned to Suzaku, a bleary smile on his face. "I think I'll be fine from here."

"I certainly hope so." Suzaku put his hands in his pockets. "Can I have your phone number? You know, in case you ever want to hang out or something. I'll give you mine."

"Sure." Lelouch took out his cell phone and told him his number. Suzaku did the same, and he typed it into his contacts. "So I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. I'll call you sometime. Or, you know, you could call me. Anytime you want." He seemed a little bashful, something Lelouch found a bit cute.

"Anytime I want." Suzaku nodded, smiling.

"Well, um, good night." He gave him a small half hug, motions a little nervous and jerky. It was all Lelouch could do not to laugh quietly.

"Good night, Suzaku."

With that, he tilted his head to him and turned to leave in the other direction. Lelouch watched him for a little bit, until he was nothing but a silhouette against the bright, champagne colored moon.

Inside, CC was at his dining room table, smirking at him. "Have fun?" she asked, noticing the slowness in his steps and the soft glaze over his eyes.

"I might have," he muttered.

"Oh, I'm glad." That smile. He didn't like it all that much.

"Well," he said, taking his coat off. "I'll be going to bed."

"Okay then." She listened to him stumble up the stairs, laughing silently into her hand. Oh, the next morning was going to be so much fun.

* * *

Jesus, this chapter just did not want to write. I wanted to DIE. Oh, but I got A NEW COMPUTER! It's a laptop, iz lovely. A very tiny laptop. It took me a while to get all my files transferred, but I figured it out ALL BY MYSELF. I'm very proud of that.

Please review, thank you, tip your waitress.


	4. I'll be Seeing You

I love this fic. Don't you love this fic? It's absolutely lovely.

Summary: AU: There are angels everywhere. Sometimes life hands you more than you know what to do with, and that makes it hard to spot them. But sometimes one of them finds you.

* * *

The first thing Lelouch noticed upon waking up was the dull throbbing in his poor head. The next thing he noticed was his screeching alarm. With a snarl, he threw his hand on it and mashed the off button. He was still in the clothes he had worn the night before. One of his shoes was on the floor beside his bed. There was no telling where the other one was.

Minding his enormous headache, he slowly sat up from his pillows and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He needed a shower, and he needed it fast. With a groan he stood and closed the door to his room. The bathroom at the end of the hallway already had a couple of aspirin tablets and a glass of water on the sink, and that led him to believe that CC was still there, and had seen him in his intoxicated state. He gripped the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. He didn't remember what he had said to her or what had happened to convince her he need pain relievers.

A sigh escaped his dry mouth as he turned the tap in the shower and laid out a towel for himself. The jet of deliciously hot water was godly to his aching joints. Lelouch put his head underneath the stream and let it rush down his face, over his tired eyes and chapped lips. The taste on his tongue was vile. The smell of his own shampoo seemed to awaken his senses, and ten minutes later he stepped out of the shower, clean, slightly energized, and relatively refreshed. He brushed his teeth at the sink and used his facial cleanser, admiring the dark areas underneath his eyes in the mirror. He looked like death.

After changing into a plain shirt and jeans, Lelouch made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. As he had suspected, CC was there. She had been washing something in the sink, but when she heard his footsteps, she turned and leant against the countertop, arms crossed and a knowing grin on her face.

"Good morning," she said brightly. The grin grew.

"Is it?" Lelouch sat at the bar, head in his hands. The throbbing had sufficiently lessened. "Was I drunk?" he asked bluntly. CC giggled.

"A little."

"I didn't do anything embarrassing, did I?" he asked, grimacing.

"Oh, not at all." She returned to her washing. "You just tripped up the stairs to bed on your own. I figured you would be just fine, aside from the headache."

"Thank you, by the way." She offered him some sliced fruit, but he declined, instead deciding on a small glass of juice. He felt that if he were to eat something, he'd most likely throw it up.

"So." She leaned over the bar, facing him. "How did last night go?"

He swallowed the rest of his juice. "It was fun."

"So I see. Get any numbers?"

"I did, actually," he remembered. "Suzaku and I exchanged phone numbers outside."

"I'm happy for you." She winked. "Maybe you'll get laid for once and you won't be so bitchy."

"I am not bitchy!" he hissed incredulously. "Women are bitchy. Women like you." His remark didn't seem to faze her at all. "And besides, I'm not interested in Suzaku like that. He's just a friend. And he will remain _just _a friend."

"You are absolutely no fun, do you know that?" CC sighed exasperatedly. "Maybe you need a little romance. God knows you could use some mellowing out. It's a shame to see you so stressed all the time."

"I have responsibilities. I don't have time to waste on someone who I'll just get tired of in a matter of weeks."

"You've never really been in love, have you?"

"Have you?" Lelouch's eyes pinned her analytically.

"I may have. How would you know?" She turned her back on him and went back to the dishes in the sink. "Don't you have to work today?"

"In an hour. I have class tonight too." He yawned. "Make sure Nunnally gets to bed _at a reasonable time_. She needs her sleep after therapy."

"Of course."

Lelouch pressed his hands to his eyes, fingers mussing up his hair. "I really don't want to go to work today," he whined.

"Call in sick. It's not like you take days off anyway."

"I can't afford to do that." He dropped his head to the countertop. "I'm using my inheritance to pay for a few classes and pay what's left of the mortgage. I put Nunnally's and Rolo's into accounts so they could collect interest and go to a real college. What little money I make at work is for the bills. If I don't go to work, I can't pay the bills."

"You're not even 20 years old yet," CC said, a sad look in her eyes.

"What would you have me do, CC?" he asked, hands away from his face. "Put them in foster care? I can't do that. I'm all that they have left, and if I can take care of them myself then I will."

"I could help you—"

"I don't want to owe you anything." His expression softened, almost into a smile. "And I don't want you to worry about us. We'll be fine."

She only sighed. He stood up and began to ascend the staircase to change into some clothing more appropriate for the weather. "Do you want me to go with you and Nunnally to see Rolo tomorrow?"

He turned to her, brows furrowed. She just stood there, gazing at him sincerely. "Yeah," he finally answered. "He and Nunnally would like that."

"Okay."

He went to climb the rest of the staircase, but changed his mind and turned to look at her again, giving her a grateful smile.

* * *

"You never told me you were friends with Suzaku!"

Lelouch dropped the stack of books he was carrying to the shelves and began to put them away in the correct order. "I didn't know you knew each other."

Gino nodded in understanding. "How long have you known each other?"

He grunted as he lifted a pair of rather heavy books. "About… a week, I suppose?"

"Oh. That's not long at all."

"And you never told me you played in a jazz band."

He laughed softly. "Yeah. It's just something I do for fun. I like playing music."

"I can see that." Once the last book had been put away, he stood and brushed the dust off of his pants. "Tell Sophie to put all the new biographies on the display table. They've been sitting in the back gathering cobwebs all morning. She was supposed to put them out _yesterday_."

"Aye, boss."

Gino went to pester Sophie, who was standing behind the counter and filing her nails. Lelouch didn't really like her. She was pretty ditzy and she never really got anything done, even after he told her over and over again. Once she had been corrected and ordered to lay out the new arrivals, Gino took over the register and Lelouch went to join him. He had picked up a book and was beginning to bury himself in it.

To Kill a Mockingbird was one of his very favorites, and he had started to reread it the previous day for nearly the fifth time. He was so engrossed in his book that he barely noticed Gino shouting his name, and when he finally lifted his head, the other boy was ready to raise a hand and smack his shoulder. "Your phone's ringing!" he told him exasperatedly. Lelouch scrambled from his chair to his phone, picking it up just in time.

"Hello?"

"Lelouch?"

"Yes."

"Hi, it's Suzaku."

He smiled. "Hey."

"Listen, I just got out of class. I don't have another until two, and I was wondering if you would like to go get lunch later. Maybe you could ask Gino too."

"We have a break at 11:30. Do you want to meet somewhere?"

"Yeah. There's a little pasta house not far from the bookstore. How about that?"

"Sounds great."

"Good. So, I'll see you there around 11:30?"

"Okay."

"Bye."

Lelouch hung up. Gino looked at him, brows raised. "Where are we going?"

"Suzaku wants to meet for lunch. At the pasta restaurant down the street."

"Oooh. I like that one." He looked at his watch. "It's ten now."

"All right. You stay here at the counter and I'm going to take these order forms to Ougi. I'll be right back."

* * *

When lunch break came, Gino and Lelouch put on their coats, scarves and gloves and braved the chilling wind outside. The restaurant was not far, and just a few meters down the sidewalk they opened its doors and stepped into the lovely heated building. They seated themselves and Lelouch slipped his coat from his shoulders to hang it off the back of his chair. Suzaku hadn't showed up yet.

"I've never been in here before." Gino took a breadstick from the middle of the table and started to nibble on it.

"It's a decent place to eat." A rather uninterested waitress brought them a couple of menus. Lelouch told her to leave an extra one and that he would prefer it if she took their drink orders after the third person in their party arrived. She sighed rather loudly, and he simply stared at her coolly. Eventually, the woman left the menu and walked back into the kitchen.

"Well," Gino muttered, cracking open his menu. "What has her panties twisted into knots?"

"Maybe it's her ridiculous highlights." Gino giggled a bit and Lelouch opened his own menu. The service had been friendly the last time he ate at that particular restaurant. His eyes quickly skated over the different linguini when he felt a draft flutter in from the open door. He turned his head and smiled as Suzaku waved to them.

"This has to be the coldest it's been all month!" he breathed, taking a seat at their table. "Hi, by the way."

"Hey," Gino chirped. He smiled brightly across the room, and their disgruntled waitress sauntered to them.

"What to drink?" She pulled a notepad from her small black apron and a pen from her pocket.

"Cola for me, please." Gino flashed her a cheeky grin. Suzaku looked briefly at the beverage selection.

"Italian soda. Lemon."

"And you?" She stared pointedly at Lelouch, who got the feeling she didn't like him all that much. His eyebrows rose by a fraction and he glanced coolly at her.

"I'll have spring water," he said, "But please don't put any ice in it. Your ice is probably made of tap water, and that would just ruin the point of spring water, wouldn't it?"

She didn't say anything, only glared at him before turning sharply on her heel to go back to the kitchens. Gino laughed into his hand, and Suzaku looked at them confusedly.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"Waitress was a haughty twat a little earlier, and Lelouch doesn't take well to other people's shit."

"I'll certainly not be tipping." He had his heart set on something with Portobello mushrooms in it. That sounded wonderful.

"How did genetics go?" Gino asked. Lelouch assumed that was the class Suzaku just left. He curled his lip and that seemed to be enough of an answer.

"I have a test in a couple of weeks, and my professor hasn't posted the notes on her web page. I took some in class, but they can't be as good as hers."

"Maybe she'll put them up tonight," Lelouch suggested. Suzaku shrugged and popped a piece of a breadstick into his mouth.

Gino looked at Lelouch. "You have class tonight, don't you, Lu?"

"Yeah. We're analyzing _poetry_."

"Exciting." Suzaku's eyes sparkled at him.

"I actually kind of like it."

Gino kept his mouth closed, but gave their waitress a broad grin when she arrived with their drinks. Giving them all a warning look, she took out her pad again and prepared to take their orders.

* * *

"So Rolo's going to come home next week?"

"For a night." Lelouch smiled and checked his pockets. Keys, phone, wallet, he had everything. "His doctor said it would be good for him."

"I'm so happy!" Nunnally kissed his cheek. "What day is he going to be here?"

"I was going to talk to his doctor about that."

She giggled cheerfully and he pushed her wheelchair through the door. CC was right behind him. Nunnally's hands were cupped protectively around the small gift she had made her brother, hiding it from view.

"Hello," the familiar nurse said to them. She pulled out a clipboard for Lelouch to sign their names. "Rolo's waiting for you upstairs; I told him you would be here soon."

"Thank you." Lelouch handed her the clipboard back.

"Do you need any help?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"No thank you, I think we'll be fine."

"Okay, sweetie."

He gave the wheelchair handles to CC and went to claim an elevator for them. The car that opened to him was empty, and CC wheeled Nunnally inside of it, making room for Lelouch to stand and press for their floor.

"So he gets out of bed by himself?" Nunnally asked her brother.

"Yes. He showers, dresses, and brushes his teeth all by himself. His new medication has helped him so much."

She nodded. "I'm glad."

When the elevator finally stopped and the doors opened, Lelouch could see Rolo sitting on their sofa, and when his eyes found Nunnally his face completely lit up. Lelouch couldn't help the smile that found his face at the sight of his brother so happy. He hurried to them, eyes aglow and a grin plastered to his lips.

"Nunnally!" he said excitedly, kneeling beside her.

"Hi Rolo!" She turned her face in his direction, hands still covering the present. Rolo looked up to Lelouch.

"Come on, let's sit down." He took the handles of Nunnally's chair and pushed her towards the couch, helping her out to sit on it beside it.

"I made you something, Rolo," she said, holding up her hands.

"What is it?"

She put it gently in his lap, a delicate, lovingly folded paper crane. It was a soft shade of pink and the paper was soft to the touch. Rolo held it in his hands, cradling it gently as if it would shatter if he wasn't extra careful. He gazed at it from every angle he could before turning to Nunnally, happy enough to shed tears.

"It's beautiful, Nunnally." He took her hand in his. "I love it. I'll put it on my bed table, so I can see it when I wake up." Lelouch watched his brother and sister from a small distance. He got to see Rolo every other day. Nunnally hardly got to see him once a month.

"Mr. Lamperouge."

He spun around quickly, heartbeat spiking. Dr. Villeta Nu smiled politely at him, eyes regarding him kindly behind her stylish glasses. Lelouch's pulse calmed immediately at the sight of her. She was just the person he wanted to talk to.

"How have you been?" she asked.

"Good. Very good."

"Wonderful." She looked at the folder in her hand. "Rolo is doing exceptionally well. He seems to even have improved in the last few days since you saw him. Just knowing that he'll be able to go home with you even for a night has lifted his spirits."

Lelouch nodded. "So, what day can I take him with me."

"Maybe tomorrow. Or the day after that, if that's better for you. I'll need one night to prepare everything, a schedule for his medication, write an assessment, sign papers to release him to you. Who is that woman?"

He averted his line of vision to the direction in which Dr. Nu's finger was pointed. She was talking about CC, who was sitting beside Nunnally, contentedly listening to them converse. "That's CC. She was a friend of my mother's, and she's known all of us since the day we were born."

"Is Rolo familiar with her?"

"Yes. She was our legal guardian until I turned eighteen."

"Does she live with you?"

"No, but she helps me look after Nunnally sometimes. She'll stay with her when I'm at work or class."

"You do know that you won't be able to go to either of those if Rolo visits you?"

"Yes. I've made arrangements."

"Good." She gave her papers another quick look. "Well. I suppose that's all. Will you pick him up tomorrow or sometime after that?"

"Tomorrow. Please." He smiled at her.

"All right. Come to my office at ten tomorrow morning, and I'll have you sign a few papers and go over his medication, proper dosage and an administering schedule. Then you can take him home with you." She looked at him happily. "He's excited. He told me in our last session."

"I am too."

"You mean a lot to him. You're his anchor when things get really bad."

Lelouch didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. "So, I'll see you tomorrow. At ten."

"At ten," she confirmed. He nodded and bid her farewell, turning to join his brother and sister. They were conversing, all grins and bright eyes.

It seemed like they would be a family again after all.

* * *

Oh my god. I have such horrible writer's block. I almost couldn't get through this chapter. It probably shows too.

Plz review.


	5. I've Got You Under My Skin

I'd like to thank everyone for the marvelous reviews I've been getting. I usually expect maybe a "good job" or a "nice chapter" but some of you write _essays._ It's wonderful. They make me want to write more and more, which is good for me _and_ you. Thank you all so much for your encouragement.

_Rolo wailed in the backseat of the car, fat tears rolling down his cheeks and chest heaving with sobs. Lelouch watched as his mother buckled his seatbelt. She was trying her best to calm him down. They were going to the hospital that day._

_Rolo had been born with a heart murmur and the doctors wanted to get an intravascular ultrasound to examine it. It was the second time that month that his little brother had been taken to the hospital to be poked and prodded with needles. The doctors would take a long, thin wire with a special probe attached to it and stick it into Rolo's leg. It would travel up his femoral artery and into his heart, where they would look at it._

"_I don't want to go!" he screamed, yanking at his seatbelt. An eight-year-old Lelouch watched him squirm, sad to see his brother so hysterical. He wouldn't like getting prodded with needles in a dark room either._

_His mother gently stroked Rolo's face, hushing him softly. "It'll be all right, sweetie," she cooed. "After this, I'll take you for ice cream. It won't be very long; we'll be out of there before you know it." Lelouch pursed his lips. He knew Rolo wouldn't feel anything like getting ice cream after they left the hospital. He'd be woozy from the sedative and would most likely fall asleep in the car._

"_I want to stay home!" Rolo clutched his mother's hand. "Please, I want to stay home!"_

_Lelouch quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped out of the car. His mother called after him, asking where he was going, but he ignored her for the moment and ran into their house. His father sat in the den with a tiny Nunnally in his lap and Lelouch ran past them an up the stairs. He opened the door to Rolo's room, grabbed the stuffed cat on the pillow of his bed, and raced back to the car outside. He was out of breath and panting, but crawled next to Rolo in the backseat._

"_Here," he said, handing Rolo the little stuffed tabby cat that he had forgotten. It was yellow and had orange stripes, with a little green vest and a gold chain hanging out of the vest pocket. "Skimbleshanks is coming with us. He'll stay with you when the doctors have to poke you. They'll let him keep Skimble, won't they, mom?"_

_His mother smiled at him. "Of course they will." She kissed Rolo on the forehead, who was still hiccupping slightly, eyes and face still wet with tears. "See, sweetheart? Everything's going to be fine. Lelouch will look out for you."_

* * *

He had spent most of his morning straightening up Rolo's room. He dusted the shelves, made the bed with fresh, clean sheets, and changed all the light bulbs that no longer worked. It had only been six months since he had admitted his brother to the hospital, but it certainly felt like more than that. Lelouch could have sworn it had been years.

Sayoko had agreed to drive him to the hospital and pick up Rolo after she took Nunnally to school. It was much too cold and too long of a walk, and Lelouch didn't want to unsettle him in a taxi. He wanted to avoid strangers as best he could. CC hadn't shown up that day. She went home the night before and phoned him to say that she thought he would want to spend some time with Rolo. And she was right. He appreciated it.

The drive to the hospital made him want to pull his hair out. It was only fifteen minutes, but it was honestly the longest fifteen minutes of his life. He fidgeted it the passenger's seat. Sayoko smiled to herself as she watched him gaze out the window, mind obviously elsewhere and fingers toying with the zipper on his jacket. Lelouch didn't notice her; he was too busy counting the buildings until they would reach the hospital. When they finally did arrive, he ripped off his seatbelt and jumped out of the car, thanking Sayoko briefly and telling her he'd be out in a minute. Inside, he signed in at the front desk, saying hello to the nurse there, and hopped into the elevator.

Dr. Nu's office was too far down the hall for his liking. When he finally reached it and opened the door, he was greeted with a tackling hug, the force of which sent him backwards a couple steps. When he looked down to see whose face was buried in his chest, bright lavender eyes met his and his brother smiled up at him. A grin found his lips and he wrapped his arms around Rolo happily.

"Can we leave now?" his brother asked excitedly.

"In just a moment. I need to talk to Dr. Nu and sign some papers first. Then we can leave." He tried to smooth down some strands of Rolo's unruly hair. "It won't take long."

Dr. Nu sat at her desk, looking happily at the both of them. She pulled out some papers when he approached the desk and handed him a pen. "This form confirms that I have legally released Rolo with you until 6:00 tomorrow evening. The next one is a statement saying that you _will _bring him back upon 6:00 tomorrow, you _will_ follow the medication regime and that you promise not to allow him any other illegal or unnecessary drugs or any form of alcohol while he's in your care. And this one explains the times and under what conditions you must administer his medicine. You'll take this with you and keep it."

He nodded and signed the forms without any qualms whatsoever. He'd make sure Rolo got his medicine on time, if it was what made him well enough to leave for a night. He was handed a small plastic box with smaller compartments inside, all of which had different times of the day printed on them and a small collection of pills.

"Here." Dr. Nu handed him another paper, this one with her signature. "Show this to the nurses at the front desk. They'll need a copy of the release form with my name on it."

"Okay." He took the sheet from her and gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for this. You don't know how much it means to me."

"Rolo deserves it." She nodded kindly. "You both do."

* * *

Lelouch opened the door to the backseat of the car for his brother. Rolo laughed quietly as he jumped in and fastened his seatbelt. "Hello, Miss Sayoko!" he said happily.

"Hello, Rolo." She turned and smiled at him fondly. "How are you?"

"Great. I'm really great."

To Lelouch, the ride home was nearly a blur. Rolo chattered on about the things he wanted to do when they got there. When Sayoko's car pulled into their driveway, he thanked her again and again while he opened the door for Rolo and waved as she left. He put his arm around his brother's shoulder and hurried him into the house, out of the cold.

Inside, Rolo's eyes darted from place to place. The foyer was different than it was the last time he had seen it. The small end table with their mother's favorite vase had been moved to the other wall, and there was a new rug on the soft white carpet. The small, baby grand piano still stood where it had always been, but the glass shelves with their grandmother's cranberry glass was nearer to the window than it used to be. Maybe they had done some cleaning.

The house still smelled the same, though. Like cedar trees and fresh sprigs of rosemary. Their mother's candles and French cooking all soaked into the house like a great, homely sponge. It seemed like it remembered the five people that used to live in it. His family, as a whole.

"I made up your room."

Rolo blinked and was brought back from his thoughts by Lelouch's hand on his shoulder.

"My room."

"Yeah. I put some new sheets down and everything."

He smiled. Lelouch led him down the hallway, to his own room. He'd forgotten about it momentarily, too caught up in the fact that he was back home. The door was open and the curtains pulled away from the windows. His socked feet stepped through the doorway. Everything was as he had left it; the books on the shelf were still in the same order, his coat still on the back of his office chair. The same picture frames and photos on his desk.

"I'll go get something for you to eat." Lelouch started to leave. "Just come to the kitchen when you're ready."

He nodded. His brother left and he heard his footsteps down the hallway. Rolo went to his desk. His hand came up to touch the row his CDs were filed into. Iron and Wine, Massive Attack, Death Cab for Cutie. It was eerily like his brother's small collection of CD's. Rolo enjoyed listening to music. It helped keep him calm and take his thoughts off of things.

Outside his window, the world looked so cold and still. Like time had stopped and frozen everything in its place. The leafless branches of the trees were almost black against the stark grey sky. He could almost feel the chilly calm inside his own room. It was relaxing and beautiful. The only window in his room at the hospital was caged by wire mesh, and the only view it revealed was one of the sidewalk and dumpster in the alley behind it. It was absolutely nothing like the frozen still-life he gazed at now.

Sitting up, Rolo decided he'd spent enough time by himself. The sounds of Lelouch in the kitchen reassured him. He always got nervous when he was by himself, but just the small reminder that someone was just down the hallway soothed his worries. With a new burst of confidence, he stood up and left his room.

"What's that you're making?"

Lelouch lifted his head and smiled. "Just some bruschetta from last night. I thought we'd order from your favorite Chinese place for dinner."

Rolo grinned. "I'd like that."

"I thought you would." He handed Rolo a bruschetta. "What would you like to do until Nunnally gets home?"

"Let's watch a movie!" Rolo hopped up from his chair and went in search of a movie they could watch. Lelouch picked up the plate of grilled bread topped with mozzarella and tomatoes and went to relocate to the living room. His brother came back with a DVD case in his hand and went to put the movie in the player.

"Which one did you pick?"

"Little Miss Sunshine." He sat next to Lelouch on the couch and pulled a quilt over the two of them. "They won't let us watch stuff like this at the hospital."

"Well, I can see why."

He picked up the remote and set the television in the right input for their DVD player. Their movie began to play, and Rolo rested his head on Lelouch's shoulder. Lelouch put his arm around him. It was almost like he had never left in the first place. If it weren't for the box full of pills on his kitchen counter, he would have thought Rolo had been home the last six months, watching funny movies and ordering Chinese takeout together. It was almost too good to be true.

* * *

Nunnally came home from school about an hour after they had finished their movie. She was so excited Rolo was home; they started to build a game of chess. Lelouch ordered Chinese. They ate it together on the living room floor, next to the chessboard and a small circle of pillows. It was like they were children again, staying up late on a weekend while their parents were asleep upstairs. Lelouch watched them battle out another chess game, which Rolo eventually forfeited.

It was how Lelouch knew Rolo wanted to spend his night at home. He didn't plan a great outing or party for his little brother. He didn't need one. What Rolo needed was one night of normalcy with his brother and sister, just like the way it used to be. One night to just be a family again.

Eventually, Nunnally became too tired to play chess. Lelouch tucked her into bed and kissed her goodnight while Rolo put away the board and chess pieces. He opened the pill box and examined the dosage he was supposed to give Rolo. One pill for his anxiety, another to counter the side-effects (nausea, cold sweats, heartburn), and a sleep aide. Rolo had already gone into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for bed, so he knocked on the door and opened it.

"I brought your medicine."

Rolo hurried to grab his shirt, but Lelouch had already spotted the great, purpling bruise on the right side of his ribcage. It was at least six inches long, fanning out over Rolo's ribs. He put a hand over his mouth in shock.

"It's okay, Lelouch, really," Rolo tried to pull his shirt on, but Lelouch took it from him and threw it on the floor. Dropping to his knees, he forced his brother's arm up to inspect the sickly indigo skin covering his ribs. It looked absolutely awful. It had to hurt so badly.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked, eyes glancing up at Rolo's face.

"Nothing! I was just in the stairwell, and I bumped into one of the attending. He startled me and I fell down." He looked guiltily at Lelouch. "It really doesn't hurt that badly, so I didn't think it was worth telling anyone about."

"You haven't told anyone?" Lelouch's mouth hung open in disbelief. "Rolo, your ribs could be broken! Bruising this severe could mean internal bleeding!"

"It doesn't hurt! It was a couple days ago, it's only starting to look bad just now. I'm fine, Lelouch, I promise."

Lelouch shook his head. "I'm taking you to the hospital," he said. Rolo's eyes widened to saucers.

"No! No, I don't need to go to the hospital! I'll be fine!"

"Yes you do! If your ribs aren't broken then they could still be bruised, and you'll need to have them bound. And they don't look anything less than broken."

Rolo averted his gaze. He sat on the toilet, hands coming up to his face. "Are you angry with me, Lelouch?" he said pitifully.

Lelouch gazed forlornly at his brother. Gently, he pried his hands away from his face. "No. No, Rolo. I am _not_ angry with you." He looked his brother in the eyes. "I'm upset that you didn't tell anyone you were hurt. I'm upset that you could be _very_ hurt and I didn't know. I'm upset that you didn't give me or someone at the hospital a chance to get you to a doctor. But I am in absolutely no way angry with you. Do you understand me?"

Rolo looked away from him and nodded, fingers clutching his kneecaps. Lelouch tried to give him a hug without touching his injured side, and he thought about all the hugs he had given him earlier that day without knowing about it. It made him cringe. Gradually, Rolo returned his embrace.

"Here's your medicine," he said, picking the small paper cup of pills up off the countertop. "Take these, and I'll see if I can find you an ice pack." Making sure Rolo had swallowed the medication, he took the cup from him and threw it in the trash. "I can give you some pain relievers with those, can't I?"

"I think so. I've had Tylenol with them once, for a headache."

"If you can take Tylenol with them then you can probably have some ibuprofen. You get to bed and I'll bring you something."

Lelouch rifled through their medicine cabinet until he found the ibuprofen he was looking for and a lime green ice pack of Nunnally's she'd used for her sore muscles from therapy. He filled it with ice cubes and some cold water and wrapped it in a towel. Nunnally's doctors had told him that one never puts ice directly on the skin.

"Here." He handed Rolo the two pills and a glass of water. "Take these, and put this on your side. Keep it there for about thirty minutes. Don't leave it on for any longer than that."

Rolo swallowed the pain relievers and took a sip from the glass. He settled into his pillows with the ice pack, hissing as it touched the bruise. Lelouch bit his lip. That really looked like it hurt.

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning." He smiled and bent to give Rolo one more hug before he left.

"Lelouch?" Rolo murmured into his neck.

"Yes?"

"… I'm really sorry I scared you."

His eyes slid shut. "It's all right, Rolo." He held him tighter. "It's okay."

Later that night, as he lay awake in his bed, he thought about how worried he was that Rolo had kept something that severe to himself. His ribs could be broken—he could have _internal bleeding—_and he wouldn't have told anyone. There had to be something wrong. There was no way Rolo would hide something like that without a reason. And Lelouch intended to find out what it was.

* * *

You know what? I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I don't know why, just something about writing for Rolo just makes me happy. And by the way, I'll be explaining Rolo's diagnosis fairly soon. So don't get too used to him being normal.

Review, s'il vou plait.

(I'm taking French :D)


	6. And the Angels Sing

Wow. All these reviews, they're making my head spin. It's wonderful, and I appreciate it so much.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I haven't updated in a long time. I've just been so busy with school, my kitten, band, it's unreal. I hope you enjoy this chapter, though.

Summary: AU: There are angels everywhere. Sometimes life hands you more than you know what to do with, and that makes it hard to spot them. But sometimes one of them finds you.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Lelouch. I really am."

"It's all right, Sayoko. You can't just haul me around like a chauffeur. I'm sorry to bother you."

"If you need anything else later on, don't hesitate to call me."

"Thank you very much, Sayoko."

Lelouch hung up the phone and stared at the notepad in his lap. He had made Rolo an appointment at the trauma clinic, but he had selfishly assumed Sayoko could give up her day to drive him wherever he needed to go. She had planned on visiting her daughter in college that day.

He didn't have a car and their house wasn't exactly in the middle of the city. Lelouch usually took the bus or a cab to work, but he didn't want to take Rolo in a closed vehicle filled with strangers. He sighed and sifted his fingers through his dark hair.

Picking up the phone again, he dialed Dr. Nu's office number and she picked up after two rings.

"Did Rolo mention anything to you about hurting himself in the stairwell?"

For a while, there was nothing but silence on the other line. Then she spoke up. "No, he didn't."

"He has a huge bruise on his ribs, the left side. I think he might have broken some."

"He didn't say anything to me at all, or to any of the other staff."

"He told me that there was an attending in the stairwell with him. He said that he scared him and he fell down the stairs."

"Patients aren't allowed in the stairwell—"

"Then why didn't he report it? If he had, you would have heard about it and then the bruise would have been found _sooner_. This was two days ago. He could have internal bleeding or bruising."

There was a pause. "Did Rolo tell you who the attending in the stairwell was?"

"No. But I'll be sure to ask him." He wrote that on his notepad. "I'm taking him to the trauma clinic in the city hospital to get his ribs X-rayed. Maybe get him some pain medication. Would that be all right?"

"Just make sure that his doctor knows what medicines he's on and that the painkiller is non-narcotic. When he comes back later today I'll talk to him. Maybe he was just scared I wouldn't let him go home with you if he was hurt."

"Maybe." Lelouch sighed. "I want whoever was on the stairs with him reprimanded."

"I can assure you that they will be, Lelouch. Patients out of bounds should be reported. This is a serious offense to hospital protocol."

"Thank you, Dr. Nu."

After hanging up, he was back to his earlier problem. He had no way to get Rolo to the hospital. Gino was out of town and couldn't pick him up, and Ougi was working at the bookstore that day. An idea struck him, but he almost shot it down as soon as he came up with it.

Suzaku didn't have classes on Saturday. And he didn't have a job. Maybe he would be able to take them.

The phone rang once.

"Hey, Lelouch." He sounded happy to hear from him.

"Hi, Suzaku. How's it going?"

"Pretty good. How about you?

"Eh, things have been better." He picked up his notepad again. "Are you free today?"

"Yeah, I'm not doing anything. Did you want something?"

"Actually, yes," he laughed. "I was wondering if I could ask for a really big favor."

"Ask away," Suzaku said.

"Um, do you think you could take Rolo and me to the trauma clinic this afternoon? His doctor let him come home with me for a night, and I found this huge bruise on his side. I think he needs to get it looked at. I don't have a car, and I really don't want to take him on a bus or in a cab." He started to play with the pen in his hand. "If you don't want to, I completely understand—"

"Oh, no, I'd be happy to, Lelouch." He could practically hear Suzaku's smile over the phone. "Just tell me what time you need me to be there."

"His appointment isn't until eleven, but if you'd like to have breakfast with us you could come a little earlier. I'm going to make omelets."

"That sounds great. So I'll be there in about an hour?"

"Wonderful." He grinned and stood up.

"How's Rolo?" Suzaku asked gingerly. "Well, besides the bruise."

"He's happy to be home. His new medicine really works."

"That's great. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks." He licked his lips, trying to think of something else to say. "So, I'll see you in a bit."

"Bye."

"Goodbye."

Standing, Lelouch snapped his phone shut and hurried downstairs. Nunnally sat at the kitchen table, reading a book in Braille. Lelouch smiled softly.

"Is Rolo up yet?" he asked, opening the refrigerator and taking out a carton of eggs.

"No. He's still sleeping." She turned the page. "I think he's enjoying his bed. It must feel nice after sleeping at the hospital for so long."

"I have to wake him up. He needs to get ready to go to the clinic." Down the hallway and in Rolo's bedroom, he saw his brother in his bed, wrapped safely in the comforter. Lelouch almost felt bad to wake up, but then he remembered the hideous hemorrhaged skin covering his ribs. As gently as he could, he shook Rolo awake, watching his eyes flutter open.

"Good morning," he said softly. Rolo sat up and rubbed at his eyes to get the sleep out of them. Lelouch sat on the edge of his bed. "How did you sleep?"

"Good."

"Great." He smiled. "I'm making omelets. Go take a shower and I'll have them ready when you get out."

"Okay."

He left his bed and shuffled down the hall to the bathroom. The blue and purple stain on his side glared at Lelouch. Little splotches of darker blue had settled into the skin. It made him cringe.

"Is Rolo awake?" Nunnally asked upon hearing him reenter the kitchen.

"Yeah. He's going to shower while I cook." Lelouch pulled out a frying pan and a bottle of olive oil. "I invited my friend Suzaku to breakfast. He agreed to take Rolo and me to the trauma clinic."

"Sayoko was busy?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "I feel awful for asking her to take me everywhere. But when I get out of school I'll take out a loan for a cheap little car."

"After your novel becomes a best-seller and the money just flows in." Nunnally grinned at him. "Isn't that right?"

"That's right," he laughed, and pulled out a spatula.

"Is Suzaku the boy in the jazz band?"

"Yeah. I've told you about him before haven't I?"

"Yes. You said he played saxophone." She closed her book. "Do you like him?"

Lelouch's brows furrowed. "Well, he's my friend, Nunnally."

"That's not what I meant." Her tone indicated that she was aware he had known that. Her brother swallowed thickly.

"We're just friends. And I've decided he's not my type."

"Lelouch, you're so young." She sight and rested her elbows on the tabletop. "You should be having fun and in love, going out on dates with some boy or doing things with friends. Not cooking your brother and sister breakfast."

He turned on the stove. "I like cooking the two of you breakfast."

"There's nothing wrong with that," she said with a reassuring smile. "I just wish you were happy with someone else."

Lelouch bit his lip. It really shocked him that Nunnally would say something like that. He was happy enough to sit with his younger brother and sister, but he hadn't given much thought to being in a relationship anytime soon. He had dated when he was younger, and had been in a semi-serious relationship at one point, but when he started his night classes he decided not to delve into romance for the time being. But then he had had the responsibility of taking care of Rolo _and _Nunnally, and Rolo had nearly been as difficult to care for as his younger sister at the time. Now, with Rolo in a psychiatric hospital and on his way to recovery, things were different.

"Lelouch, I think the omelet is ready."

"Oh!" Indeed, the smell of an omelet on the brink of burning was all around them. He quickly grabbed the spatula and scooped up the omelet, placing it neatly on a plate. It had cheese, red and green bell peppers, and a bit of ham, just the way Nunnally liked hers.

"Rolo like scallions in his doesn't he?" he asked, placing her plate and silverware on the table in front of her.

"Yes. At least, I think he still does."

"If he doesn't, I can always make him another one."

"I'll eat whatever you make me."

Rolo emerged from the hallway, dressed and ready for the day. His hair was still a little wet from his shower, and his clothes look a little smaller than they used to. He ran a hand through his damp tawny hair, attempting to smooth it out.

"Yours is almost ready," Lelouch told him. He folded the omelet in the pan and went to get a plate for it. "My friend is taking us to the hospital. I invited him to eat with us. Is that okay?'

"That's fine," Rolo said. He sat next to Nunnally at the table, fussing over the small spot of egg near her mouth and lifting his napkin to swipe at it.

"Here you go." His brother handed him the omelet on a plate and a glass of orange juice. "Enjoy."

"Thank you."

The chime of their doorbell rang through the house, startling Lelouch, who jumped and turned to the direction of the front door. "That must be Suzaku."

"Hurry and greet him, Lelouch," Nunnally giggled. "You shouldn't keep your guest waiting."

He wiped his hands on a kitchen towel and hurried towards the foyer. He could see Suzaku's silhouette in the frosted glass of their front door, and when he opened it those eyes shone happily at him.

"Hi there," he said, swinging the door wider.

"Hey." Suzaku ducked his head in and smiled at him. "Should I take my shoes off?" he asked, glancing at the white carpet.

"Um, you can if you want too." None of them were wearing shoes at the moment.

Suzaku took his Vans off at the door and stepped inside, eyes darting around the room. "Wow," he breathed. "Your house is lovely."

"Thanks." Lelouch led him through the living room and into the kitchen, exchanging formalities along the way. When they were in front of Rolo and Nunnally, Lelouch extended his arm to them. "Suzaku, this is my brother Rolo and my sister Nunnally. Nunnally, Rolo, this is Suzaku."

Rolo smiled shyly to him and murmured a small hello. Nunnally grinned and turned her head in their direction. Her sightless blue eyes weren't focused on him, and Lelouch expected that to unnerve Suzaku. But to his surprise, he bowed politely and nodded to her.

"Hello, Nunnally, Rolo."

Lelouch leaned closer and whispered lowly to him, "She'd like it if you gave her your hand."

Taking the initiative, he walked to Nunnally's place at the table and gently clasped her hand. A smile found Nunnally's lips as her slender fingers traveled over his palm, knuckles, wrist, tracing every crease and callous.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Suzaku," she said softly. "My brother always says such nice things about you."

"Ah, thank you." Suzaku turned to Lelouch and grinned at him. Lelouch blushed and went back to his cooking.

As he made the last two omelets, Suzaku spoke politely to Nunnally. Rolo looked unnerved by him, which wasn't something Lelouch hadn't anticipated. It must have been hard for him to sit at the table during such an intimate family moment with someone he'd never met. To make his brother feel more secure, Lelouch took the chair next to his to eat his breakfast. He could see Rolo relax when his elbow touched his own.

"Lelouch told me you're a musician."

Suzaku nodded. "Yes. I play in a jazz band."

"The saxophone, right?"

"That's right."

Breakfast passed with small-talk along those lines. Lelouch could tell Nunnally liked him. They talked to each other nearly the whole time, and when everyone was finished eating and Lelouch stood up to clear the table, Suzaku stood up to help him.

"Rolo, you can take Nunnally in the living room and watch TV if you want. We don't have to leave for another fifteen minutes." Rolo only nodded and wheeled Nunnally out of the kitchen. A few moments later, Lelouch heard the television come on and turned to Suzaku. "I'm sorry he's not very talkative. It takes him a little while to warm up to strangers."

"It's fine, Lelouch." Suzaku smiled to him and wiped a plate that had been handed to him. "He seems normal enough. What exactly is wrong with him?"

Lelouch rinsed out a glass and handed that to him next. "When he was younger his doctor diagnosed him with general anxiety disorder. My parents got him some medication to help manage it, but it kept getting worse. When they died, he quit taking his medicine and eventually he developed post-traumatic stress disorder. That on top of the GAD made him absolutely miserable." His hands almost started to shake. "One day, I found him sitting on the bathroom counter with the shower running. He was crying. I asked him what was wrong and he told me he almost drowned trying to turn the shower on. Four days later, I checked him into the hospital."

Suzaku had gone quiet. Silently, he finished the rest of the dishes and looked to Lelouch sadly. "I'm very sorry."

"It's okay." He smiled sadly at him. "He's so much better now that he has a doctor. There was just nothing I could do for him."

* * *

"Lamperouge."

The nurse at the door stood there, holding a clipboard and waiting for the next patients to stand. Lelouch rose from his seat, hand at Rolo's elbow. He turned to Suzaku and thanked him again for bringing them.

"It's no big deal," he assured him.

Smiling, he and Rolo walked to the nurse and were taken to an examination room, where she took Rolo's height and weight. "You're a little underweight, pal," she told him, writing it in her clipboard. "The doctor will see you guys in just a minute."

She left, and Rolo sat on the paper-covered examination table and turned to Lelouch, who was sitting in a chair. "It feels a little better today."

"Good. Because last night it looked like it really hurt." He handed Rolo a magazine and took one for himself.

"Suzaku seems really nice." His voice was quiet.

"You think so?" he asked, opening his magazine.

"Yes. He was very kind with Nunnally."

"Yeah." He smiled. "You know how I met him?"

"No." Rolo looked up from his Men's Journal.

"I was angry about having to leave my visit with you early, and I sat on the bench and started to cry. Like a child." Now that he thought about it, he relived the mortification of that day. "He saw me and handed me a tissue. Then he sat down on the bench next to me and offered to buy me coffee."

Rolo laughed a little, but it faded off and he opened up his journal again. "Um, Lelouch?"

"Yes, Rolo?"

"Could you… Tell Suzaku that I think he's okay?"

He looked at his brother happily. "Of course I could."

The doctor came in after his last word. He was a tall man with long blonde hair swept up into a ponytail. The air he had about him was strictly business, and when his eyes fell upon Rolo he began to analyze him.

"I'm Dr. Diethard," he said, shaking Lelouch's hand. "What seems to be the problem?"

"My brother is a patient at the psychiatric hospital north of here," he said, pulling out some papers. "He stayed with me last night, with permission from his doctor." Dr. Diethard took the papers and read over them before he touched Rolo. The hospital could file a law suit if he wasn't careful enough. "His side is bruised and I think his ribs might be cracked or something."

"Let's have a look then." He turned his attention to Rolo, who lifted his shirt from his side. The doctor put on a pair of latex gloves and moved to inspect the bruised skin. When he touched the bruise, Rolo flinched slightly. "I'm sorry," the doctor said, glancing up at him. "It hurts to apply any kind of pressure to it?"

"Yes," Rolo said, his lips tight. Dr. Diethard pulled away and took off his gloves.

"I'd like to get an X-ray of his ribcage, to see the extent of the damage. It doesn't look very good."

"All right." The doctor left the room to prep for Rolo's X-ray. Lelouch smiled at his brother. "I'll be right here when you get back. They're just going to get an X-ray and then we'll get ready to go."

"Okay." Rolo looked to the ground. A nurse opened the door and he jumped. Lelouch nodded reassuringly to him, and he stood to follow her.

Once Rolo left, Lelouch read his magazine, lazily sifting through the articles. Thirty minutes passed, and he was tired of waiting. He sat in his chair, chin in his hand, and sighed dejectedly until Rolo returned.

"He'll be here in a minute," he said, fixing his sleeves. "He wants you to see the X-rays."

"Okay." Rolo pulled a chair beside Lelouch's and rested his head on his shoulder. Being with unfamiliar people without his brother had made him nervous. Lelouch put his arm around Rolo's shoulders and pulled him closer. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Rolo didn't say anything.

Dr. Diethard returned with a yellow envelope, from which he pulled Rolo's X-rays. He held them up to the light before placing them to a board studded with light bulbs. The image became clear, and he beckoned Lelouch over.

"The darkened area of his ribcage is bruising. The seventh and eighth ribs appear to be cracked, but not broken. No internal bleeding or any other broken bones from what I can tell. I'll have to bind the cracked ribs. It'll be painful, but I can prescribe something for pain."

"He needs non-narcotics." Lelouch watched as he pulled out a pad and wrote down a drug's name and a dosage schedule.

"His hospital will have no problem managing the injury from now on. They can change his pain medication if they wish, but this will do until then. It should be taken on an empty stomach. He should wait about an hour to eat after taking it. It will make him drowsy, but beyond that there are no side effects." He ripped the paper from the pad and handed it to Lelouch. "I'll just tape his ribs up and you'll be free to go."

He opened a cabinet above the room's sink and pulled out a roll of hospital tape. Rolo took off his shirt and held his arm up. The doctor tore a strip of tape and began to work. Rolo's face contorted when his hands touched his tender skin. He whimpered when the tape was applied to his injured ribs. After less than ten minutes, though, Diethard stepped away and Rolo sported a set of taped ribs.

"Thank you," Lelouch said, and the doctor nodded to him.

"I hope you'll be more careful from now on," he said to Rolo, and left them.

Lelouch smiled to his brother. "All right. Let's get out of here."

* * *

"Thank you for filling his prescription." Lelouch sat down across from Suzaku at his kitchen table.

"It's no problem." Suzaku smiled and sipped at his tea. "Glad to help."

Rolo was spread out on the sofa. His medicine had made him lethargic, and since he hadn't been feeling quite up to conversation, Lelouch settled him on the couch with an ice pack. Nunnally was in physical therapy for most of the day. Suzaku had stayed on Lelouch's invitation after picking up Rolo's medicine.

"I have to take him back to the hospital at six. Sayoko should be back then."

"Okay." He nodded. "Thanks for calling me. I enjoyed getting to see you today."

Lelouch looked at him, a smile finding his lips. "I enjoyed seeing you today too."

"Maybe we could meet up again some time? For lunch, or a drink maybe?"

"I'd like that." For a moment, his eyes locked with Suzaku's, and that familiar feeling washed over him. Those striking green eyes always made him feel as if he were the only person in the world. His breath caught in his throat.

Suzaku's eyes left him briefly to glance at the clock. His face fell. "I should be going. I have a slideshow due tomorrow for my chemistry class. It's almost done. I just need to put some finishing touches on it."

"I hope you do well tomorrow." Lelouch stood to show him to the door.

"Thank you very much." Suzaku smiled at him and put on his coat. "I'll call you later. We can set up a day for lunch or something."

"I can't wait."

They bid each other goodbye and Lelouch shut the front door behind Suzaku. While the other drove away, he drew closer to the couch that contained his drowsy brother. Rolo looked at him sleepily. Lelouch slid beside his brother on the sofa and spread out parallel to him. Rolo snuggled into his brother and exhaled tiredly.

"I'm glad you have him," he said slowly.

"What?" Lelouch said, looking at his brother questioningly.

"I'm glad you have Suzaku. He's nice, and he really likes you."

Lelouch said nothing. He gently ran his fingers through Rolo's hair, coaxing him to sleep. When Rolo finally drifted off, his fingers were twisted in Lelouch's shirt as well as the blanket he was wrapped in. The sound of his soft breaths soon had Lelouch nodding off, and in no time he was fast asleep with his brother, chin resting on Rolo's hair.

* * *

Review. Please.


	7. Baby, It's Cold Outside

Hello, everyone! Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. It just really didn't want to write at all. I hope no one's mad at me.

Summary: AU: There are angels everywhere. Sometimes life hands you more than you know what to do with, and that makes it hard to spot them. But sometimes one of them finds you.

* * *

Lelouch really hated homework.

He was tired of analyzing _Rome and Juliet_. Sure, he liked Shakespeare, but _Romeo and Juliet_ had to be one of his least favorite of his works. It was about two teenagers throwing a fit because they couldn't get married after knowing each other for about a total of about one week. He supposed he shouldn't be so quick to disregard the play, but it really wasn't that interesting to him. He was much fonder of _Julius Caesar_ or _King Richard III_. Now those were interesting.

Closing his paper on his laptop, he stood from his bed and stretched. It was horribly lonely in their house now that Rolo was back in the hospital. Dr. Nu hadn't wasted any time in getting him to a therapy session to discuss the stairwell incident. Rolo had been reluctant, but he eventually told her the name of the attending who hadn't reported him. Luciano Bradley had been suspended for one week, which had satisfied Lelouch. He had never met the man, but it was his fault Rolo hadn't been seen by a doctor and forced to endure cracked ribs for days. If Rolo had internal bleeding from the fall, he would have been dead by now.

Suzaku had called him yesterday to make sure Rolo was all right. Lelouch thought it was rather sweet that he was concerned. They'd made plans to finish some homework at Suzaku's apartment. He'd be by later that morning to pick up Lelouch. Nunnally was in school and he didn't really feel like spending the day by himself.

He had packed his backpack full of his books, folders, notebooks, and laptop. The only thing he had left to finish was that paper on _Romeo and Juliet_. In his Shakespeare class, his professor planned to read every play and poem and expected a paper for each of them. They had done all the histories and were getting near the bottom of the list of tragedies. Next semester they would start on all the comedies.

Lelouch had just finished putting his breakfast dishes in the dishwasher when the doorbell rang. He stopped what he was doing and unconsciously smoothed his hair down to answer the door. As he'd expected, Suzaku stood on his front porch in a heavy brown coat and red earmuffs. His cheeks were rosy from the cold and his breath came out in misty white puffs.

"Hi," he said, grinning.

"Good morning." Lelouch opened the door wider. "Come inside before you freeze to death. I have to get my coat and shoes." Suzaku stepped inside the warm house and breathed a sigh of relief. The weather forecast called for a chance of snow later that day, so he had bundled up sufficiently for it. "Just make yourself at home; I'll be back in just a second."

Lelouch went back upstairs to his room to retrieve his black coat and red gloves. His scarf was in the laundry, so he'd have to live without it. When he returned, buttoning up his coat, Suzaku smiled at him and stood up.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." Lelouch slipped his gloves on. "Ready."

"All right then. Shall we?" Suzaku opened the door for him and waited while he locked up with his house key. Suzaku's car was still running and when he slipped into the passenger's seat the blasting heater was wonderful comparison to the frosty atmosphere outside.

The drive to the apartment wasn't very long at all. The apartment was actually a small house that Suzaku rented with Rivals on the university campus. There were many like them in this particular neighborhood for other students to rent. Lelouch put his on his backpack and got out of the car, following Suzaku to the front door. There was a tiny porch and plain square hedges on either side of it.

"Here we are," Suzaku said upon opening the door. "Home sweet home."

The front door opened to a small living room area, where Rivalz sat on a loveseat eating a plate of pancakes. "Hey, Lelouch!" he said, swallowing his latest bite. "How ya been, man?"

"I've been good," he said, looking around the room. There were two armchairs and one loveseat, all of which were nearly too much for the room itself. On the other side of the wall there was a small television set and a tall houseplant. A little shelf near the door contained a few books and various knick-knacks.

"How about a tour?" Suzaku asked, taking off his coat. Lelouch did the same and stripped his hands of his gloves.

"Sure."

Suzaku led him past the living room to their tiny kitchen. There was a small table and chairs in the middle of the tiled floor. It was very neat; there weren't any dishes in the sink and the countertops were gleaming with how clean they were. Down a hallway, there was a bathroom, which was also very clean, and even further down were two bedrooms. Suzaku opened the door to one.

"This is my room," he said. He crossed the floor and opened the door to his closet to put his coat away. The room was pretty plain; the walls were painted white and the carpet was a dull beige color. By the window there was a double bed covered in a blue and green plaid comforter and a dresser stood on one side of the room. There were posters on the walls for various movies and jazz musicians. In one corner, Suzaku's saxophone was sitting in an on-stage stand. It looked like it had been lovingly polished and shone prettily in the light.

"You can have a seat on the bed if you want. I have to get out all my books and stuff."

Lelouch set down his bag and took a seat on the bed, looking outside the window. He wasn't sitting very long until he felt something touching his hand. When he looked down to see what was there, he yelped a little in surprise at the black cat touching his wrist.

"That's Arthur," Suzaku laughed. "Don't mind him, he's just an old man. If you pet him he'll leave you alone."

"Um, okay." Lelouch scratched the cat behind its ears and it began to purr. Suzaku seemed to have been wrong about telling Lelouch that he would be left alone. Once Arthur figured out the new human would pet him, he had no qualms about stepping into Lelouch's lap and settling himself down for more attention. Lelouch was stuck. He didn't want to disturb the little creature, so he just helplessly continued to pet him until Suzaku turned around to face them, glancing at the cat.

"Sorry about him." He reached down to haul the cat out of Lelouch's lap. When he had him in his arms, Arthur meowed happily and viciously bit Suzaku's finger. "Ouch, Arthur!" he cried, pulling his digit from the cat's ruthless jaws. Arthur simply licked his paws, looking pleased with himself.

"Are you okay?" Lelouch stood up to look at Suzaku's hand.

"Yeah." Suzaku laughed nervously. "It's fine. I'm the only one he's ever bitten. I think that's how he shows me he likes me."

"How sweet." Lelouch smiled and pet Arthur's head one more time. "Do you have everything?"

"Yeah. Let's join Rivalz in the living room. He's going to need all the help he can get with his psychology essay."

* * *

"Wow," Rivalz yawned, covering his mouth with his sleeve. "It's really snowing outside. Are you sure you'll be all right driving in this, Suzaku?"

"It can't be that bad." Suzaku closed his computer and snapped his book shut.

"I don't know. It looks really gnarly."

Lelouch bit his bottom lip nervously. It had started to snow very lightly that afternoon, but now it was nearly ten in the evening and the snow was falling hard and fast. It would be dangerous to drive out in weather like that.

"If the weather's too bad, you could stay here for the night."

Lelouch turned from the window and met Suzaku's eyes. "Oh, no, I couldn't do that," he said. "I don't want to impose."

"You wouldn't be imposing, Lelouch," Rivalz said cheerfully. "We don't mind."

"But I don't have any clothes or a toothbrush."

"You can wear some of my old pajamas," Suzaku told him. "We can wash your clothes tomorrow morning. And we always keep brand new toothbrushes for when Rivalz's family comes to visit."

"Well…"

Suzaku looked up at him with big, glimmering eyes. He really wanted Lelouch to stay. They'd had such a nice time talking and helping each other study. And the weather wasn't going to let him find his way to the driveway, much less help Suzaku get to his house. He sighed. "I'll have to call my sister and tell her I'm not coming home."

"That's the spirit!" Rivalz slapped him on the back. "I'll heat up some takeout from last night and we can watch a movie."

Suzaku knelt down near the television and pulled out a drawer containing a small movie collection. "Which do you prefer?" he asked, pulling out a couple. "Anchorman or Meet the Fockers?"

"Um," Lelouch said, tapping his chin in though. "Meet the Fockers."

"Good choice."

While Suzaku set up the movie, Lelouch pulled out his phone to call home. CC was supposed to be with Nunnally. She picked up after a couple rings, her monotonous "Hello?" giving him a little comfort.

"Is Nunnally still up?"

"Yes. She wanted to wait until you got home. She's worried about you driving in the snow."

"Can I talk to her?"

"Yeah, hold on a second."

There was a bit of murmuring and a shuffling against the receiver until he heard Nunnally's voice. "Lelouch?"

"Hi, Nunnally." He smiled. "You're up awfully late."

"I was worried about you. CC told me it was snowing really badly."

"It is. Suzaku and his roommate suggested that I stay here for the night. It's too dangerous to drive."

"Good. There have already been one or two accidents on the news. You don't need to be on the roads in this snow."

"I know." He laughed a little to himself at how concerned she was. "Have you eaten anything?"

"Yeah. CC made pasta and I had some of that. I did my homework too."

"Good. You need to go to bed soon; it's getting late."

"I really don't think I'll go to school tomorrow," she said. "CC said it's already past her ankles outside."

"You should still go to bed. You need your rest after therapy."

"Okay," she said reluctantly. "Will you be home tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"All right. Good night, Lelouch."

"Good night, Nunnally." He smiled lovingly. "Sweet dreams."

"Who wants left over orange chicken and coconut shrimp?" Rivalz called from the kitchen. "Come get it while its steal relatively warm!"

"Chicken or shrimp?" Suzaku asked, standing up.

"Chicken please."

"All right then."

Lelouch put his cell phone back in his pocket and turned his head to the screen to watch the opening credits. This was the first time he'd hung out with friends in quite a while.

* * *

When the movie ended, Rivalz was asleep, head lolling on the arm of the chair he was in. Suzaku and Lelouch were sitting together on the loveseat. Suzaku stood up to wake up his roommate and turn the television off. Lelouch was on the verge of falling asleep, curled up in his seat and feeling very warm and comfortable. Rivalz bade them goodnight and left for his room, and Suzaku left to find some night clothes for Lelouch to wear.

Lelouch tried to wake himself up. He sat up straighter and rubbed sleepily at his eyes. When Suzaku came back, he smiled at him.

"You can go ahead and change. I'll get the dishes and everything."

"Okay." With some help from Suzaku, he stood and went to the bedroom. There was a pair of blue and red checkered pants and a white shirt. They were a little big, but they fit nicely enough. Lelouch moved over to the window to see how much snow was on the ground. Suzaku's car was nearly covered with at least four inches of snow; he was glad he made the decision he did.

There was a knock on the door. "Is it safe to come in?"

"I'm dressed."

The door opened and Suzaku entered the room with Arthur at his heels. The cat jumped on the bed and plopped down on the pillows. Lelouch turned away so Suzaku could change and pet him, smiling when he rolled on his back and purred like a jet engine.

"Do you have any plans for later this week?" Suzaku asked.

"Yeah." Lelouch nodded. "Nunnally and I are going to visit Rolo together on Friday. My birthday is on the fifth and Rolo wanted to give me a present."

"Your birthday's on the fifth?" Suzaku sat next to him on the bed, grinning. "I didn't know that! How old are you going to be?"

"Twenty."

"That's awesome." He put a hand on Lelouch's shoulder. "We should go out together!"

At first, Lelouch was confused. Go out together? Like a date? He felt a blush creep up his face, and he swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know, maybe you and Rivalz and I can all go out for drinks. You know, after you spend the day with Rolo and Nunnally. It'll be fun."

Lelouch nodded. His lips curled into a small smile. "I'd like that."

"Great!" Suzaku stood up. "We'll talk more about it later. Right now, I think we should get some sleep."

"Yes," Lelouch agreed, looking around the room. "Where would you like me to sleep?"

"You can take the bed." Suzaku started to pull out some blankets and a pillow from his closet. "I can sleep on the floor tonight."

"No, Suzaku, no." Lelouch stood up and took the blankets from him. "I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed."

"Oh, don't worry about it," he laughed. "I'll be fine. Really."

"No, I insist."

"I can't let you sleep on the floor," Suzaku told him.

"Then I guess we'll just have to share the bed," Lelouch said stubbornly, "because I'm not going to let _you_ sleep on the floor either."

"All right then." Suzaku smiled mischievously. "We'll share it."

Lelouch cockily put the blankets back in the closet. Suzaku picked up Arthur and put him at the foot of the bed before climbing in closest to the wall. Lelouch got in next to him and pulled the blanket up over himself. The pillows smelled like Suzaku; kind of like cologne and a very early, misty morning in the woods. It smelled nice.

Suzaku reached over to his bedside table and picked up a remote to turn off the lights. In the dark, Lelouch could hear every breath he took and his heart suddenly started to beat a little faster. Suzaku's back was just barely touching him, but he could feel the ridges in his spine through his shirt.

"Night, Lelouch," Suzaku said sleepily.

"Good night, Suzaku."

Lelouch fell asleep comfortably that night, nestled warm and safe against Suzaku.

* * *

Okay! Please don't yell at me. I'm sorry for getting this out so late. I just didn't want it to be reeeeeally bad. And trust me, it would have been! But anyway, I'm terribly, horribly, majorly sorry.

Yo dawg, we heard you like stories, so we put some stories in your stories so you can review while you review!


	8. La Vie En Rose

Bonjour! :D

I must tell you something. If you haven't read Pride and Prejudice, you best get right on it. It is the _best_ book ever. I just finished it, and I watched the movie afterwards, the one with Keira Knightly. And then I bought the soundtrack. I LOVED IT. The whole storyline is beautiful and unique, and I'm a huge Jane Austen fag now. Anyway, here's your crappy chapter.

**Summary: ** Au: There are angels everywhere. Sometimes life hands you more than you know what to do with, and that makes it hard to spot them. But sometimes one of them finds you.

* * *

He woke up to a pair of whiskers tickling his face.

Lelouch had to stifle a gasp at the large pair of yellow eyes staring at down at him. Arthur was sitting on his arm and observing him quietly. He supposed he was in the cat's usual spot and had to stop himself from apologizing to Arthur in his sleepy haze.

There was something warm tickling the back of his neck. Slowly, he turned to face Suzaku and saw him fast asleep on his side, on arm stretched out across the mattress. His hand was lightly touching Lelouch's skin, and his fingers were entangled in the hair at the nape of his neck. Not pulling, just feeling. His cheeks colored at the small contact, wondering at which point in the night Suzaku had unknowingly reached out for him.

The sun was barely peeking out from behind a sea of pink clouds outside. It was early. Too early to get up. He was still so tired, and it was still so dark. And Suzaku's hand on his neck was very relaxing. Gradually, Lelouch drifted into a heavy doze. In his drowsy state of mind, he could very faintly register the hand on his neck tenderly stroking his skin.

The next time he woke, he could hear the shower running down the hallway. The hand that had been touching his skin was gone, and Arthur was nowhere to be seen. Sitting up in the bed, Lelouch stretched his arms over his head. The sun was completely up, and the digital clock on the nightstand said it was around nine in the morning. He yawned. His hand came up to rub at his sleepy eyes. The shower in the bathroom stopped running, and Suzaku's head popped in from the doorway not five minutes later. His hair was wet, droplets of water falling on the shoulders of the blue shirt he was wearing.

"Good morning," he said cheerfully. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"Oh, no." Lelouch shook his head. "I need to get up anyways, it's fine."

"I left a toothbrush on the countertop for you. If you need anything else, feel free to look around for it. Or just yell." He smiled. "Want anything for breakfast? I make some pretty good instant oatmeal."

Lelouch laughed. "Instant oatmeal sounds great."

"Awesome. I'll be in the kitchen."

With that, he was gone. Lelouch stood up and stretched again, standing on his toes and reaching to the ceiling. He sighed as the vertebrae in his back popped softly. Suzaku's bed was a bit firmer than his own.

Gathering up his clothes from the day before, he let himself into the bathroom and turned the water on. The mirror was still a bit foggy, so he left the door open just a crack for the steam to escape through. Mindful that he was out of view from the hallway, Lelouch stripped himself of Suzaku's clothes and stepped into the shower and closed the curtain. There were two different types of shampoo on the shelves, but no conditioner. Lelouch frowned. He himself used a salon brand. These would have to suffice.

Not five minutes into his shower, he was rinsing out his hair and reaching for the bottle to lather a second time. He thought he heard a small noise, but paid it no mind. In the midst of combing the suds through his hair once more, Lelouch felt something brush against his leg. He looked down at his feet and screamed, nearly getting soap in his eyes in the process.

Arthur gazed intently up at him, golden eyes blinking quizzically. The cat was sitting in the floor of the tub, the water from the showerhead not bothering him one bit. Lelouch's wildly beating heart was slowly starting to calm down. He heard Suzaku's footsteps as he raced down the hallway to his rescue. There was a knock at the door.

"Are you all right?" he called.

"Um, yeah," Lelouch told him. "It's just Arthur, he—"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you." Suzaku laughed. "He likes to get in the shower with me. I'm so sorry about that, I should have kept him in Rivalz room."

"Don't worry about it." Lelouch slowly inched closer to the cat, but Arthur just continued to stare into his eyes.

"He should leave you alone. He just likes to be in the water. He's really weird."

"Oh, yeah."

"If he gives you any trouble, just throw him outside."

"Okay."

The rest of Lelouch's shower passed rather uneventfully, save for Arthur's company. It was so strange. He had always thought cats were supposed to hate water.

* * *

"Thank you. So much."

"It's no problem." Suzaku smiled at him. "It was great to have you over."

"Thank you for inviting me."

"We should do it again some time."

"I'd like that." Lelouch pulled his backpack into his lap. He almost didn't want to get out of the car, just so he could spend just a little more time with Suzaku.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow night? For your birthday."

"Yeah. I'll call you."

"I'll be waiting."

Lelouch laughed softly, a small blush rising into his face. With one last goodbye, he regrettably climbed out of the car. Outside the world was quiet and covered in white. The snow gave way underneath his shoes with every step, some of it finding its way inside and soaking his socks. He waved at Suzaku as he drove off then opened the front door of his house. Inside it was warm and pleasant.

"I'm home," he called, removing his wet shoes and picking them up. His carpet was perfectly white, and he wished to keep it that way.

"Hello!" Nunnally called from the kitchen. He went up to his room to drop off his backpack and shoes before he went to find her. She and CC were sitting at the dining table, Nunnally with a bowl of cereal and CC with a cup of coffee and the morning newspaper.

"No school today?"

"No, and probably none tomorrow either. " She grinned. "More time to spend with you on your birthday."

"That's good news." He kissed the top of her head and went to pour himself some coffee.

"I have to brush my teeth." Nunnally pushed her cereal bowl away and made off to the bathroom. When she was gone, Lelouch sat with CC, sipping at his coffee.

"So," she said, turning a page of her paper. "Did you sleep with him?"

Lelouch almost choked on his sip. He put his mug back down and wiped at his mouth. "What did you just say?"

"I assume you slept with him. How was he?"

"I did no such thing!" he said incredulously. "What would make you think that?"

"He's handsome, you like him. You stayed the night at his place. I was just making an assumption."

"Well stop that." He crossed his arms. "Nothing happened. We're just friends."

"Uh-huh." She stood up, folding the paper and drinking the rest of her coffee. "Someone called for you last night."

"Who was it?" He reached over to slide her newspaper in front of him.

"Jeremiah."

Lelouch's heart shuddered. "What did he want?"

"To talk to you. He wanted to wish you a happy birthday." She yawned. "I told him you were out in a study group. You should call him back."

"No. I shouldn't. That would give him the wrong idea."

"What idea?"

"That we still have a chance."

"Lelouch, the man just wants to tell you happy birthday." CC put a hand on his shoulder. "You could at least call him back and say thank you."

"His girlfriend left him two weeks ago." He held his coffee cup in both his hands, relishing the warmth it radiated. "Don't you think it's a little strange that he doesn't talk to me for months, and after she's out of the picture he decides to call and say happy birthday?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "Don't call him then."

"I'm going out for drinks tomorrow night with Suzaku and his roommate."

"Good. It's nice to see you get out for once."

"So you'll be here with Nunnally?"

"Of course." She smirked. "Try not to have too much fun."

* * *

He wasn't scheduled to work that day. But when Ougi called him, desperate for extra help, he couldn't say no. Three people had called and said they couldn't make it because of the snow, which meant he was by himself in the shop. He'd called others and a few more people agreed to show up. Lelouch had told him he'd be there as soon as he could.

The roads in the city were clear and the shop was busy. It was getting close to the holidays and people were eager to buy gifts before the usual shopping mayhem. His lunch break was growing closer, and the oatmeal he'd eaten at Suzaku's was doing nothing to hold him over. He was reading his book at the counter, waiting for a customer to ask his assistance. Soon enough, someone stood in front of the register. He put his book down and smiled.

"Ready to make a purchase?"

"Hello, Lelouch."

The color drained from his face. In front of him stood the very person he had hoped never to speak to again, Jeremiah Gottwald.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Lelouch shrank back a little.

"I got the feeling you weren't going to call me back."

"And you were right." He crossed his arms, voice sharp. "I wasn't."

"I didn't expect you to."

He looked great. His teal hair was slicked back handsomely in the fashion Lelouch had always admired. His skin still held a bronze glow about it, even in the cold winter weather. He was dressed simply yet stylishly in a black winter coat and dark grey scarf. And his eyes. They glowed just like they used to, a deep tangerine hue. His eyes were what drew Lelouch in the first place.

"You look great," Jeremiah told him. He smiled wistfully.

"Thank you."

"Really. You do." He put his hands in his pockets. "Look, I know you think I shouldn't be here."

"I don't."

"Just listen." He sighed. "I've been thinking. Since Monica and I went our separate ways I realized that she never made me happy. Not like you did. Nothing like you did. No one has."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I was hoping we could give it another shot. Between us. We didn't exactly part ways on great terms, and I wanted to apologize for that. I should have been more understanding with you, but I was cruel and expected too much from you too quickly. I'm sorry, Lelouch."

"What is it you want from me, Jeremiah?" Lelouch said coldly. "Sex? Someone to attach yourself to? Someone to help you sleep at night?"

"No." Jeremiah shook his head. "No, Lelouch. It's nothing like that. I… I still love you. And deep down you still love me too."

"I don't believe you." He stared at Jeremiah, eyes stony and biting. "I shouldn't have believed last time, and I don't believe you know. I'm sorry, Jeremiah."

The man's eyes fell. "I'm… I'm sorry you feel that way." Slowly, he reached inside his coat and drew from it a red rose, with a small ribbon tied around it. He placed it on the counter beside Lelouch's book. Before Lelouch could move or protest he leant in and kissed his mouth, hand coming up to touch his cheek. Lelouch's eyes widened, but Jeremiah pulled away almost immediately. "Please consider what I've said." He gave him one last, small smile. "Happy birthday, Lelouch."

And then he left. When he was gone, Lelouch breathed out heavily, like he had been holding his breath and hadn't known it. The rose was sitting in front of him, like some desperate plea for redemption. At first, he couldn't believe someone could do something so disgustingly cliché, but he remembered that it was Jeremiah. Cliché was one of the things that brought Lelouch to think he'd fallen in love with him in the first place.

* * *

Okay! There you have it! I promise, the next chapter will be much more exciting and you'll like it a lot more than this one. Or at least I hope so.

Reeeeeeeeeeevieeeeeeeeew plz.


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